Thai Kwiatkowski recognized as 2017 NCAA Today’s Top 10 recipient

The NCAA announced the 2017 Today’s Top 10 honorees, a list which included former Virginia Tennis standout Thai Kwiatkowski.

Kwiatkowski graduated in 2017 after an impressive college career that included three-straight NCAA championships, 2017 NCAA singles champion, and a 2017 ITA Indoor team national championship. He was a three-time ITA All-American and a first-team all-ACC member. Off the field, Kwiatkowski was a two-time UVA Scholar-Athlete of the Year, ACC’s Men’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and made the ACC All-Academic Team all four years (as a member of the prestigious McIntire School of Business).

After graduation, Thai played in the US Open, giving No. 27 ranked Mischa Zverev a run for his money in the opening round. He won the USA F33 event back in October, and is ranked No. 546 in the world.

This marks the sixth time that a Wahoo has earned the honor, with Peggy Boutilier (1999), Tiki Barber (1997), Michael Fisher (1997), James Dombrowski (1986), Richard Giusto (1983) having won previously.

The award expanded from the “Today’s Top VIII” in 2013 to “...recognize the growing number of college athletes, sports and championship opportunities.” Virginia Sports shared that the award honors “...former student-athletes for their successes on the field, in the classroom and in the community” and for this year’s award had to complete their career in the 2016-17 season.

The other nine recipients are Kasey Cooper (Auburn softball), Danielle Galyer (Kentucky swimming), Sarah Gibson (Texas A&M swimming), Maggie Steffens (Stanford water polo), Marie Coors (Saint Leo golf), Riley Hanson (Concordia St. Paul volleyball), Lizzy Crist (Washington University soccer), Amy Regan (Stevens Institute of Technology track and field), Deko Ricketts (Washington University track and field).