Hadziabdic Earns Freshman of the Year, Two Blue Demons Selected All-BIG EAST
5/1/2025 1:30:00 PM | MEN'S TENNIS
Andy Hadziabdic and Matteo Iaquinto recognized among league’s best
CHICAGO – Andy Hadziabdic and Matteo Iaquinto earned All-BIG EAST honors, the conference announced Thursday afternoon. Hadziabdic also took home the conference's Freshman of the Year award.
Major awards and All-BIG EAST teams were selected by a vote of the league's head coaches.
Hadziabdic becomes DePaul's fifth BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, the most by a single program since the award's inception in 2009. The Chicago-area native joins an elite group of Blue Demons to earn the honor, including two-time BIG EAST Player of the Year Vito Tonejc.
Capping off an impressive debut season, Hadziabdic was also voted to the All-BIG EAST Second Team. He posted a 21-10 overall singles record and led the team in dual wins, going 13-7. Splitting time between the No. 3 and No. 4 singles spots, Hadziabdic went 9-3 at No. 4 and 4-1 at No. 3. In conference play, he compiled a 5-1 mark, highlighted by wins over Xavier and Georgetown and the clinching point against Marquette.
Hadziabdic earned his first major honor on Feb. 24, when he was named BIG EAST Player of the Week after a dominant stretch. The rookie went undefeated on the weekend, earning three straight-set victories over Northern Illinois, Belmont, and Eastern Kentucky. Three of the six sets he played ended in 6-0 wins, showcasing his early command on the collegiate stage.
Senior Matteo Iaquinto, the 2024 BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Player, was a unanimous selection to the All-BIG EAST First Team for the second-straight year. The Palermo, Italy native posted an overall record of 11-16 and went 7-8 at No. 1 singles in dual matches. His 3-1 BIG EAST record included a straight-set win over No. 110-ranked Jake Fellows—the reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year—in DePaul's 7-0 sweep of Georgetown on March 16.
Iaquinto also delivered one of the season's signature moments on Feb. 9 in DePaul's 4-3 win over Grand Canyon. With four singles matches going to a third set, Iaquinto clinched the match in a three-set thriller, winning 7-6(5), 6-7(6), 7-5 to secure the Blue Demons' victory over a tough GCU squad.
He earned BIG EAST Player of the Week honors for the second time in his career on March 3 following an undefeated weekend at No. 1 during a four-match win streak. Iaquinto posted a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Cleveland State followed by a convincing 7-6(5), 6-0 win against Buffalo.
2025 BIG EAST Men's Tennis Awards
Player of the Year: Alejandro Gandini, Creighton
Freshman of the Year: Andy Hadziabdic, DePaul
Coaching Staff of the Year: St. John's
First Team:
Patrick Joss, Butler*
Alejandro Gandini, Creighton*
Matteo Iaquinto, DePaul*
Jake Fellows, Georgetown*
Max Amling, St. John's*
Carl Gustavsson, St. John's*
Second Team:
Yuma Daijima, Creighton*
Andy Hadziabdic, DePaul
Arthur O'Sullivan, Georgetown*
Blake Roegner, Marquette
Ryota Kaneda, St. John's
Leonardo Mileikowsky, St. John's
* Unanimous selection
FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all the latest information on DePaul Men's Tennis, visit DePaulBlueDemons.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Blue Demons on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Major awards and All-BIG EAST teams were selected by a vote of the league's head coaches.
Hadziabdic becomes DePaul's fifth BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, the most by a single program since the award's inception in 2009. The Chicago-area native joins an elite group of Blue Demons to earn the honor, including two-time BIG EAST Player of the Year Vito Tonejc.
Capping off an impressive debut season, Hadziabdic was also voted to the All-BIG EAST Second Team. He posted a 21-10 overall singles record and led the team in dual wins, going 13-7. Splitting time between the No. 3 and No. 4 singles spots, Hadziabdic went 9-3 at No. 4 and 4-1 at No. 3. In conference play, he compiled a 5-1 mark, highlighted by wins over Xavier and Georgetown and the clinching point against Marquette.
Hadziabdic earned his first major honor on Feb. 24, when he was named BIG EAST Player of the Week after a dominant stretch. The rookie went undefeated on the weekend, earning three straight-set victories over Northern Illinois, Belmont, and Eastern Kentucky. Three of the six sets he played ended in 6-0 wins, showcasing his early command on the collegiate stage.
Senior Matteo Iaquinto, the 2024 BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Player, was a unanimous selection to the All-BIG EAST First Team for the second-straight year. The Palermo, Italy native posted an overall record of 11-16 and went 7-8 at No. 1 singles in dual matches. His 3-1 BIG EAST record included a straight-set win over No. 110-ranked Jake Fellows—the reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year—in DePaul's 7-0 sweep of Georgetown on March 16.
Iaquinto also delivered one of the season's signature moments on Feb. 9 in DePaul's 4-3 win over Grand Canyon. With four singles matches going to a third set, Iaquinto clinched the match in a three-set thriller, winning 7-6(5), 6-7(6), 7-5 to secure the Blue Demons' victory over a tough GCU squad.
He earned BIG EAST Player of the Week honors for the second time in his career on March 3 following an undefeated weekend at No. 1 during a four-match win streak. Iaquinto posted a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Cleveland State followed by a convincing 7-6(5), 6-0 win against Buffalo.
2025 BIG EAST Men's Tennis Awards
Player of the Year: Alejandro Gandini, Creighton
Freshman of the Year: Andy Hadziabdic, DePaul
Coaching Staff of the Year: St. John's
First Team:
Patrick Joss, Butler*
Alejandro Gandini, Creighton*
Matteo Iaquinto, DePaul*
Jake Fellows, Georgetown*
Max Amling, St. John's*
Carl Gustavsson, St. John's*
Second Team:
Yuma Daijima, Creighton*
Andy Hadziabdic, DePaul
Arthur O'Sullivan, Georgetown*
Blake Roegner, Marquette
Ryota Kaneda, St. John's
Leonardo Mileikowsky, St. John's
* Unanimous selection
FOLLOW THE BLUE DEMONS
For all the latest information on DePaul Men's Tennis, visit DePaulBlueDemons.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Blue Demons on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Players Mentioned
Men's Tennis NCAA Preview 2022
Tuesday, May 03
Men's Tennis NCAA Preview
Wednesday, May 05