IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa men’s tennis seniors Kareem Allaf and Will Davies earned postseason recognition by the Big Ten Conference on Tuesday.
Allaf was voted to the All-Big Ten First Team for the second consecutive season, while Davies was the team’s Big Ten Sportsmanship award recipient for the second straight year.
Iowa has had a player earn first team all-conference recognition three of the last seven seasons (Matt Hagan in 2015; Allaf in 2020 and 2021). Allaf is the first Hawkeye to earn all-league honors in consecutive seasons since Stuart Waters in 2002 and 2003.
The Hawkeyes have had a student-athlete earn All-Big Ten laurels six times in seven seasons under Mellecker Family Head Men’s Tennis Coach Ross Wilson (Hagan in 2015; Josh Silverstein in 2017; Allaf in 2019, 2020, and 2021; Davies in 2020). Allaf is the fourth player in program history, and first since Tyler Cleveland in 2001, to be voted all-conference three consecutive years.
Allaf is Iowa’s all-time wins leader, amassing 164 combined singles and doubles victories in his five-year career. Allaf has amassed 95 career singles wins and 69 doubles victories, which rank second and third, respectively, in school history. Allaf has competed on court one all season in singles, totaling 10 victories, including three over ranked opponents. He has notched eight doubles victories on courts one and two combined in 2021.
Davies’ sportsmanship honor is presented to individuals in good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. Davies, who was a second-team Al-Big Ten selection a year ago, continues to climb the program’s win chart. He is tied with Will Vasos for the most doubles victories in school history (71). His 73 career singles wins equal Tommy McGeorge for sixth.
Davies and doubles partner Oliver Okonkwo are currently ranked fourth in the country, ascending as high as a program-best No. 2. The duo is 10-2, including 4-1 against ranked opponents in 2021. Davies has won nine singles matches this season, second most on the squad.
Iowa (5-12, 5-10) begins postseason action on Thursday against Michigan State (5-13, 5-11) in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska.