ORLANDO, Fla. – Following his fourth and fifth career AAC All-Conference nods, senior Bogdan Pavel was honored for his performance in the classroom this afternoon, being named to the 2023 Academic All-District Men's Tennis Team, voted upon by the College Sports Communicators. The selections recognize the nation's top student-athletes, who must have a GPA above 3.5, for their combined performances on the court and in school. Pavel, who has been an integral part of the program's success over the past five seasons, has led by example and shown a talented crop of freshmen what it means to perform for the Black and Gold.
Known for his fierce competitive nature and strong presence on the court, the Romanian native has gotten acclimated to college tennis since he arrived in 2019. Since his AAC title-winning freshman campaign, he has accumulated an impressive academic resume, having earned his Bachelor's Degree in Integrated Business last week. From his role within the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as the representative for the men's tennis program to his numerous community service efforts in the Orlando community, Pavel has become a role model for academic commitment while also leading the squad on the court.
Speaking of his play on the court, the former All-American had an admirable finale to his storied career at UCF. A career-high 13 wins in singles, highlighted by three ranked victories, saw Pavel earn his highest career ITA ranking as he moved as high as 85th in the nation. His season isn't over just yet though, as alongside fellow All-Conference honoree, Lleyton Cronje, he will embark on his third NCAA Doubles Championship and first since his run to the Sweet 16 in 2021.