TYLER, TEXAS – UT Tyler senior standout Carel Wessel has added another award to his prestigious resume, this time a Second Team Academic All-America Team honor from the College Sports Communicators.
 
Wessel, a finance major, earns his first ever Academic All-America nod and becomes the first player for the program since Arthur Fagundes in 2018 to be named Academic All-America.
 
He adds the award to a growing list of honors after recently wrapping up his playing career with the Patriots. He was named an ITA All-American in doubles in 2026, in both singles and doubles in 2025, along with the 2026 LSC Senior of the Year, the 2026 ITA South Central Region Senior of the Year, the 2024 NCAA ELITE 90 Award, a five-time All-LSC team member, and a three-time member of the All-LSC Sportsmanship Team.
 
Wessel finished his season with a 19-4 record in singles play this spring, going 11-3 in the #3 line. In doubles, he would go 14-11 overall, all in the #1 line. His play booked the Patriots into the NCAA Round of 16 for a fifth straight season, four under his watch. Additionally, he helped the Patriots make it to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the third straight season, extending their program record.