Laredo Community College student-athlete Alex Ortega and Head Tennis Coach Jaime Donjuan captured top national awards during the opening ceremony for the 2004 National Junior College Athletic Association Men’s Championship. The weeklong tournament, which began Sunday (May 9), is underway at Collin County Community College in Plano, Texas.
“Laredo Community College is proud of Alex Ortega and Coach Jaime Donjuan for their accomplishments,” said College President Dr. Ramon H. Dovalina. “LCC and the city of Laredo should feel proud to know that the No. 1 ‘rookie player’ and head tennis coach among America’s two-year colleges are from Laredo Community College.”
Ortega, a 5-10 freshman from Miami, was selected “Rookie Player of the Year” for achieving an impressive debut on the intercollegiate courts.
Donjuan, completing his seventh season as head coach of the LCC Palomino men’s and women’s teams, received the Wilson ITA Coach of the Year award. ITA is the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, which serves as the governing body of collegiate tennis.
Ortega enrolled at LCC in January of 2004 and quickly assumed the No. 1 position on the men’s tennis team. The national recognition Ortega received lauded him for an impressive 12-6 winning record and his commitment to the team.
“Alex is a hard worker and team player,” said Coach Donjuan. “Alex has made a significant impact during his freshman year at Laredo Community College.”
Ortega graduated from Miami Sunset Senior High School. He was named All-Dade Player of the Year in his senior year. His team won state four years in a row and he captured the state title his senior year. Ortega attained a top 40 national ranking in USTA. In Florida, he finished top five in the state.
Donjuan has led the LCC men’s tennis team to post a 41-23 overall winning record in his seven years as head coach. The Coach of the Year award lauds Donjuan for leading the men’s team toward an outstanding year that included the title of 2004 Southwest Junior College State Champions. LCC defeated No. 1 Tyler Junior College in Temple last month. The award also recognizes Donjuan’s efforts to promote positive sportsmanship skills within the team and for consistently achieving national rankings during his tenure at LCC.
Donjuan has coached a nationally ranked, No. 1, doubles team and four All-Americans at LCC and previously received the Region XIV Men's Tennis Coach of the Year in 2000, and the Hershel Stevens Coaching Award during the 2002 men's national tournament.
In fall of 2003, Donjuan saw his #1 player Jorge Anda, and his #1 doubles team of Anda and Rafael Zurita reach the finals of the small college bowl. Also last fall, Donjuan was selected the first Texas Sectional Winner of the Campus Recreation Award by the United States Tennis Association/Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
The entire LCC men’s tennis team is seeded in this year’s national tournament with the highest at No. 1 and the lowest at No. 3.
In singles, LCC enters the court May 11 with Alex Ortega (1), Jorge Anda (2), Sky Laws (3), Todd Hendricks (4), Nathaniel Avila (5) and Rafael Zurita (6). In doubles, which begin at noon time, are Ortega/Hendricks (1), Anda/Zurita (2) and Laws/Avila (3).
Alex Ortega Coach Jaime Donjuan
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