VALDOSTA, Ga. – Valdosta State senior men's tennis standout Takeshi Taco continued to add to his impressive resume as he was named the 2025 ITA Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award winner.  Blazer senior Edgar Destouet was named ITA Senior Player of the Year and senior Boruch Skierkier earned ITA Player to Watch honors.
 
Taco, a native of Lima, Peru, becomes the third Blazer to win the coveted honor as current graduate assistant coach Luca Mack won the honor in 2023, and former Blazer Eduardo Rincon won the honor in 2004.
 
The 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.
 
As one of the top players nationally during his time with the Blazers, Taco has been a leader both on and off the court for the Valdosta State tennis program. Coming in from the junior college ranks, Taco helped the Blazers to being crowned National Champions in 2024 and has led them to an unbeaten season to this point in 2025 where they enter the round of sixteen as the No. 1 seed in the nation. Throughout his Valdosta State career, Taco has gone 52-6 in singles and has ranked within the top five nationally in both singles and doubles. Taco was named the Valdosta State Male Athlete of the Year and was a recipient of the 2024-25 GSC Top Ten Award which honors student-athletes for their athletic, academic, and extracurricular achievements.
 
Joining the Blazers last fall, Destouet has immediately stepped into the Blazers lineup and has made an impact. Currently ranked No. 20 in singles for the unbeaten Valdosta State squad, Destouet, a native of Bordeaux, France, has a 25-1 record in singles play for the Blazers this season and is a perfect 19-0 this spring. Just as important in doubles, him and partner Arthur Bord have gone 19-4 in doubles with a 14-3 record this spring. Behind Destouet's help, Valdosta State have currently won 39-straight matches and is in the midst of the NCAA Championship rounds as the nation's top seeded team.
 
As the nation's No. 3 ranked singles player nationally, Skierkier has been a part of the Valdosta State Blazers team that has achieved a perfect 22-0 record to this part of the season. On the year, Skierkier has gone 28-3 in singles play and is 17-1 in matches this spring. Skierkier earned GSC Player of the Week hours twice this season and was named First Team All-GSC for his efforts this season. After winning a national title last season with Valdosta State, Skierkier hopes to be at the top again this season as the team competes Wednesday afternoon in the National Quarterfinals against No. 8-seed University of Indianapolis.