BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech men's tennis junior Ryan Fishback has been named the 2023 ITA Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership and Sportsmanship Award winner, announced by the association on Monday. He is the first Hokie tennis player, male or female, to win the award.
The ITA Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership and Sportsmanship Award recognizes outstanding student-athletes in all five divisions (NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and JUCO) at the regional and national level. This prestigious award, which dates back to 1982, is presented to the men's and women's national student-athletes who have exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and leadership, as well as scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements.
Fishback was a leader in the 2022-23 season on and off the courts. He played all 25 matches on Court 1 for the Hokies recording 12 wins, including five against nationally-ranked opponents finishing at No. 42 in the ITA rankings. The Geneva, N.Y., native anchored Tech in doubles rising to No. 4 in the ITA rankings with an 8-8 mark highlighted by three ranked victories.
In the classroom, he has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA as a Biochemistry major throughout his entire undergraduate career. This spring, he earned his second-career Elite 90 recognition, given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 90 championships, was named 1st Team Academic All-American, and earned the Skelton Award which is the highest honor a Virginia Tech student-athlete can garner. Fishback plans to pursue a career in medicine following his graduation.
The junior standout played an instrumental role in the development of Virginia Tech's wheelchair tennis program. This spring, Tech played its inaugural match against Virginia and reached the 2023 USTA Collegiate Wheelchair Tennis Championships.
