FARMINGTON, Utah (June 11, 2025) – The Big Sky Conference earned five recognitions this past week in the 2025 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Men's and Women's Regional Awards, with the Montana, Northern Arizona, and Sacramento State tennis programs all being honored.
Montana led the way with two awards, as Jason Brown won the ITA Mountain Region Coach of the Year and Tom Bittner was named the Mountain Region's "Player to Watch" after his stellar play this past season. Brown becomes the Big Sky's first men's coach to win the yearly award since 2005, while Bittner becomes the first men's honoree ever from the Big Sky to earn the "Player to Watch" title.
Northern Arizona's Patrycja Niewiadomska earned the Mountain Region's "Player to Watch" for the women's side, while Sacramento State's Jack Maddocks won the ITA Northwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year honor following another conference tournament title for the women's squad this past spring. Niewiadomska is the Big Sky's first women's honoree since 2019 to earn the "Player to Watch" title, with Maddocks becoming the first Big Sky assistant coach to win his yearly award since current NAU head coach Ewa Bogusz acheived the feat in 2018.
Additionally, Northern Arizona's men's tennis team was honored as the ITA Mountain Region's Community Service Award Winner for their efforts this past year.
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All-Time ITA Regional Awards for Big Sky Teams
Men's Tennis
ITA Coach of the Year (Region)
2025: Jason Brown, Montana (Mountain)
2005: Mike Phillips, Montana State (Mountain)
ITA Most Improved Senior (Region)
2022: Edward Pudney, Montana (Mountain)
2021: Eban Straker-Meads, Northern Arizona (Mountain)
2018: Yannick Schmidl, Montana (Mountain)
ITA Assistant Coach of the Year (Region)
2013: Kevin Kurtz, Sacramento State (Northwest)
ITA Player to Watch (Region)
2025: Tom Bittner, Montana (Mountain)
Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership & Sportsmanship (Region)
2008: Kyle McDonald, Montana State (Mountain)
ITA Community Service Award (Region)
2025: Northern Arizona (Mountain)
2024: Northern Arizona (Mountain)
2023: Northern Arizona (Mountain)
2022: Northern Arizona (Mountain)
Women’s Tennis
ITA Assistant Coach of the Year (Region)
2025: Jack Maddocks, Sacramento State (Northwest)
2018: Ewa Bogusz, Northern Arizona (Mountain)
ITA Player to Watch (Region)
2025: Patrycja Niewiadomska, Northern Arizona (Mountain)
2019: Chiara Tomasetti, Northern Arizona (Mountain)
ITA Senior Player of the Year (Region)
2020: Chiara Tomasetti, Northern Arizona (Mountain)
2020: Marta Heinen, Eastern Washington (Northwest)
ITA Rookie of the Year (Region)
2021: Gina Dittmann, Northern Arizona (Mountain)
2017: Chiara Tomasseti, Northern Arizona (Mountain)
ITA/Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sportsmanship & Leadership Award (Region)
2014: Maddy Murray, Montana (Mountain)