IMG Academy Insider - December/January 2015

S E I YA L I U A N D M A R C P I O N H E A D E D T O H A RVA R D U N I V E R S I T Y

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

PABLO AGUILARLEADS UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

TO NATIONAL SOCCER TITLE

Baseball travels to Dominican Republic

IMG SUNCOAST PRO CLASSIC

THREE ASCENDERS NOMINATED FOR MCDONALDS ALL-AMERICAN GAME

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PRO SOCCER IS BACK AT IMG ACADEMY!

BOYS SOCCER U19 AND U16 TEAMS WIN TITLES AT IMG CUP

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

IN THISISSUE

STUDENT-ATHLETE ACCOLADES Pages 3 - 6

AROUND CAMPUS Page 7 - 10

ALUMNI LINK Pages 11 - 13

HARVARD ENROLLEESTwo IMG Academy student-athletes are headed to the Ivy League after being accepted to enroll at Harvard University.

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Student-Athlete Accolades

Around Campus

Spotted On Campus

Making A Difference

Alumni Link

Alumni Spotlight: Akin Akman

News and Notes

IMG ACADEMY INSIDER | DEC - JAN 2015 2

Two IMG Academy student-athletes are headed to the Ivy League after being accepted to enroll at Harvard University. Seiya Liu of Beverly Hills, Calif. is set to join the Harvard men's golf program in 2015, and Marc Pion of Quebec, Canada will bolster the defense of the Harvard men's lacrosse program.

"The atmosphere there is what drew me in. Everyone there is the best-of-the-best. And if you want to be the best on the golf course or in life after college, you really have to surround yourself with exceptional people," remarked Liu on his decision to pursue opportunities at Harvard.

Similarly, the community and atmosphere is what drew Pion's interest. "Obviously everyone there is talented in the field that interests them, but I find that the people are very welcoming and passionate which makes a great atmosphere," commented Pion.

Harvard is perennially one of the top-two universities in the United States, and among

the top universities in the world. The school ranks in the top-10, and often the top-five, in virtually every field of study it offers according to U.S. News & World Report. Transitioning from high school to such an esteemed institution could be daunting for some, but Liu and Pion are more than ready.

"I feel like IMG has helped me to grow so much as a person, as a student and as a lacrosse player," said Pion. "I think the way that you're surrounded by the best-of-the-best in everything from training, to practices and academics, and that people are here to help you achieve your goals really helps you aspire to the next level."

Liu added to Pion's sentiment, describing the academic and sport program structure, combined with flexibility when needed, was a major asset to being able to prepare for the rigor of college athletics.

Liu, in addition to being named to the HP Scholastic All-American Team, was also

IMG ACADEMY'S MARC PION & SEIYA LIU

ACCEPTED TO ENROLL AT HARVARD

named as a Commended Student by the National Merit Scholarship Program earlier in the semester. Liu was also the recipient of the 2013 Nicklaus Children's Healthcare Foundation Leadership Award after being the top fundraiser for the American Junior Golf Association's (AJGA) Playing Fore Their Future Program, which benefits the Jack Nicklaus Children’s Healthcare Foundation. He raised more than $30,000 in contributions.

Pion was accepted to enroll at Harvard prior to completing his senior year. He opted to defer his enrollment until the Class of 2015 following a post-graduate year to continue his sport training and education to better prepare himself to contribute to the Harvard men's lacrosse program. During the fall season, Pion helped the IMG Academy National Team achieve a perfect 17-0 record in national tournament play, winning U19 division titles at the UpLax in Maryland and the IMG Nationals at IMG Academy.

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STUDENT-ATHLETE

ACCOLADES

BASEBALL:

Logan Allen – University of South Carolina (picture 5, right) Kyle Benyo – Youngstown State University Danny Blair – University of South Carolina (picture 5, left) Zachary Ching – Virginia Commonwealth University Eric Feliz – University of Notre Dame Chase Illig – College of Charleston Ryan Karstetter – University of Virginia Cameron Kremers – Oklahoma State University Joseph Steele – University of San Francisco LT Tolbert – University of South Carolina (picture 5, middle) Michael Young – University of Massachusetts – Lowell

BASKETBALL:

Alyssa Dry – Baylor University (picture 1, right) Austin Pauga – Northern Illinois University Justis Szczepanski – Baylor University (picture 1, left)

GOLF:

Jenny Buchanan – Towson University Courtney Cotterill – Hofstra University Rinko Mitsunaga – University of Georgia (picture 2) Gabriele Victoria – Barry University Luciana Tobia – Quinnipiac University

LACROSSE:

Daniel Beiline – Binghamton University Foster Cuomo – Quinnipiac University Mike Dowell – University of Vermont (picture 4, second from left) Tyler Liotta – Hofstra University (picture 4, second from right) Max Smith – Florida Southern University (picture 4, far right) Nick Wood – University of Virginia (picture 4, far left)

TENNIS:

Jacob Hansen – Rice University Anudeep Kodali – University of North Carolina (picture 3) Alexander Sendegeya – Texas Tech University Alfredo Perez – University of Florida

EARLY NATIONAL SIGNING DAY ROUNDUPNovember 12, 2014 marked the beginning of the early NCAA National Signing Period for student-athletes. During the early signing period, 29 IMG Academy student-athletes in baseball, basketball, lacrosse, tennis and golf made their commitments binding by putting pen to paper.

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ACCOLADESSTUDENT-ATHLETE ACCOLADES

Andy Andrade turned in a dominant performance in his native Ecuador at the 2014 GoGo Open in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Nov. 17-22. Andrade turned in straight set victories in each of his five main draw matches. In the final, Andrade took down Camilo Ponce, 6-0, 6-3, to take home his first singles title of 2014. Andrade also partnered with Ponce in doubles competition, where they reached the finals before falling short to the team of Simon Bustamante and Diego Quiroz.

GOGO OPENAndy Andrade wins ITF GoGo Open in native Ecuador

Michael Mmoh was electric at the Juvenil Mexico Grade A ITF event in December. Mmoh entered the event ranked #20 overall ITF as the #3 seed in the tournament. Mmoh's biggest win of the event occurred in the semifinals when he faced #1 ranked Andrey Rublev of Russia, winner of the 2014 French Open Juniors title. Mmoh defeated Rublev by a score of 7-6(2), 6-2. In the final, Mmoh took down Korea's Seong Chang Hong, 6-1, 6-7(6), 6-4. In the doubles competition, Fanni Stollar partnered with Anna Blinkova, and won the doubles title over IMG Academy teammates Ingrid Neel and Maia Lumsden by a score of 6-1, 6-1 in the final.

JUVENIL MEXICOMichael Mmoh wins singles title, Fanni Stollar takes doubles at ITF Grade A

The IMG Academy National Team rounded out a perfect run during the fall’s tournament schedule, going a perfect 17-0 with national titles won at the UpLax in Maryland and the IMG Nationals. Also at the IMG Nationals, the Varsity team captured the U17 division title with a perfect 3-0 record at the event. Key contributors through the impressive fall campaign included Ben French, Massimo Bucci, Marc Pion, Tyler Liotta and Colyn Lyons.

FLAWLESSIMG Academy National Team wraps fall season with 17-0 record

Seventh-grader Whitney Osuigwe reached an early career milestone by winning the Girls 12s division singles title at the prestigious Junior Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla. Osuigwe bounced back from her performance at the Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships to defeat Japan’s Himari Sato, 6-4, 6-4 in the final. Osuigwe was the first IMG Academy student-athlete to earn an Orange Bowl singles title since Michael Mmoh won the Boys 14s in 2012. She is regarded as a five-star prospect for the Class of 2020, and the #3 overall prospect in her class and #1 in the Southeast, according to TennisRecruiting.net.

ORANGE BOWLWhitney Osuigwe wins all in Girls 12s division at Junior Orange Bowl


Quarterback Deondre Francois led the Ascenders to a 10-1 record on the season and kept his momentum going at the annual Under Armour All-American game. The commit went a perfect 4-for-4 passing for 103 yards and 1 touchdown. His performance included a 60-yard completion to George Campbell, and a 24-yard touchdown strike to Clemson tight end pledge Garrett Williams. Francois was joined at the game by offensive tackle Tyree St. Louis, a Miami commit, who saw time at tackle in the game and was lauded for his showings at practice through the week.

PRIME TIMEQuarterback Deondre Francois lights up Under Armour All-American game

Five members of the IMG Academy Football Program completed their academic requirements to graduate early and moved on to enroll at top Division I programs. They include Nick Thomas (University of Wisconsin), Evan Mallory (University of Cincinnati), Scott Patchan (University of Miami), Hjalte Froholdt (University of Arkansas) and Reid Miller (University of Arkansas).

EARLY ENROLEESFive Ascenders enroll early at Division I programs

The IMG Academy Football Program concluded its second season with a 10-1 overall record, and reached as high as #14 in the Max Preps national rankings. Meanwhile, the Junior Varsity team in its first season of action recorded a perfect 4-0 mark on the year. Following such a successful season, the program honored its top performers on the gridiron. Award recipients for the varsity and junior varsity teams included:

Offensive MVP: Deondre Francois Defensive MVP: Nick Thomas and John Tauber Special Teams MVP: Stone Wilson

Offensive Big Man: Miki Fifita, Evan Mallory, Eli Teeselink, Tyree St. Louis and Mirko Jurkovic Defensive Big Man: Hjalte Froholdt Top Scholar: Nick Thomas Ascender Award: Reed Miller (pictured above, right) Ironman: Ryan Fines and Tyler Mabry Gamechanger: Saivion Smith

JV Offensive MVP: Isaac Green JV Defensive MVP: Jacob Slass JV Offensive Most Improved: Juntoka Koda JV Defensive Most Improved: Robbie Adams

HONOREDFootball program celebrates 10-1 season at annual awards banquet

STUDENT-ATHLETE ACCOLADES

Three Ascenders were nominated for the McDonald’s All-American Game. On the boys’ side, Georgia native Tobias “T.J.” Howard (pictured left) was nominated. For the girls, Baylor signees Alyssa Dry and Justis Szczepanski were nominated. Final rosters will be announced on Jan. 28 on ESPNU.

ALL-STARSThree Ascenders nominated for McDonald’s All-American Game


STUDENT-ATHLETE ACCOLADES

Nelly Korda started off 2015 with a big win at the 60th annual Harder Hall Women's Invitational. The 16-year-old made three birdies through the last five holes to card a 3-under 69 on the final day, finishing with a 3-over 291 total. Korda achieved the feat by overtaking Wake Forest University senior Allison Emrey, who ended up three strokes off the lead as runner-up. Recently, Korda had been named as a Rolex Junior All-American First Team member.

HARDER HALLNelly Korda rings in 2015 with big win at Harder Hall

At the inaugural IMG Academy Junior World Match Play Championships, Rinko Mitsunaga earned the title in the Girls 15-18 division after remaining 1 up through the final three holes to upend Colombia’s Isabella Cardenas. To reach the final, Mitsunaga had to get past #2 seed Rino Sasaki of Japan, 3-and-2. Mitsunaga ended 2014 ranked #34 overall in the Polo Golf rankings, and signed with the University of Georgia women’s golf program in November.

JUNIOR WORLDRinko Mitsunaga wins division at inaugural IMG Academy Junior World Match Play

At the fifth annual IMG Cup – Boy’s Invitational, the Ascender U19 and U16 (pictured above) teams hoisted trophies after winning the U19 Blue and U16 Blue divisions, respectively. It was the second consecutive U19 title for IMG Academy when they took down the Derby City Rovers of Louisville, Ky. on penalty kicks. After finishing extra time at 1-1, Derby City missed their first PK attempt of the period, but IMG Academy would not miss an attempt. Juan David Tejada found the back of the net on the clinching kick for the 2-1 (PKs) final. The U16s went a perfect 4-0-0 through the event, led by Guelherme Casante who scored six goals in the four matches. The U16s upended Davie United 1-0 in the final.

IMG CUP WINNERSIMG Academy U19 and U16 teams win titles at fifth-annual IMG Cup – Boys Invitational

The 2014 Disney Showcase attracted nearly 6,000 players on more than 320 teams from around North America, and among them, Madeline Jones was named to the event's Best XI team by Top Drawer Soccer. Jones is a defender and team captain of the IMG Academy U17 team, which finished in third place in the U17 White division, defeating Canada's Bradford SC, 1-0 in the third place match after posting a 1-1-1 record in pool play.

BEST XIMadeline Jones named to All-Tournament team after Disney Showcase


AROUNDCAMPUS

PROFESSIONAL SOCCER RETURNS TO IMG ACADEMY

FEB. 18

Columbus Crew vs. TP Mazembe 12 pm @ Field 1 Philadelphia Union vs. Costa Rica U23 2:30 pm @ Field 1 New York Red Bulls vs. HB Koge 5 pm @ IMG Academy Stadium Toronto FC vs. Oklahoma City Energy 7:30 pm @ IMG Academy Stadium

FEB. 21

Toronto FC vs. HB Koge 12 pm @ Field 1 New York Red Bulls vs. Oklahoma City Energy 2:30 pm @ Field 1 Columbus Crew vs. Costa Rica U23 5 pm @ IMG Academy Stadium TP Mazembe vs. Philadelphia Union 7:30 pm @ IMG Academy Stadium

A dozen Major League Soccer and international clubs are set to train and compete this pre-season at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., with a number of teams arriving on a rolling basis for training, Jan. 25 - Feb. 15. Following the training period, eight separate clubs will arrive for the inaugural IMG Suncoast Pro Classic, Feb. 18-28.

FEB. 25

Costa Rica U23 vs. TP Mazembe 12 pm @ Field 1 Oklahoma City Energy vs. HB Koge 2:30 pm @ Field 1 Philadelphia Union vs. Columbus Crew 5 pm @ IMG Academy Stadium Toronto FC vs. New York Red Bulls 7:30 pm @ IMG Academy Stadium

FEB. 28

Consolation match 12 pm @ Field 1 Consolation match 2:30 pm @ Field 1 Third place match 5 pm @ IMG Academy Stadium Championship Final 7:30 pm @ IMG Academy Stadium

Prior to the tournament, clubs who will conduct preseason training at IMG Academy include MLS teams D.C. United (Jan. 24 - Feb. 6) and FC Dallas (Feb. 1- 8), as well as Swedish clubs Malmö FF (Allsvenskan; Feb. 2 - 13) and Jönköpings Södra IF (Superettan; Feb. 2 - 9). The tentative schedule for pre-tournament friendlies is as follows:

The tournament will feature a round robin competition format with the top two teams from each bracket moving on to the championship match. Bracket 1 will comprise Toronto FC (MLS), New York Red Bulls (MLS), HB Koge (Denmark; Danish First Division) and the Oklahoma City Energy FC (USL PRO). Bracket 2 will include the Philadelphia Union (MLS), Columbus Crew (MLS), TP Mazembe (Democratic Republic of the Congo; Linafoot League) and the Costa Rica U23 Men’s National Team. The tentative schedule for the IMG Suncoast Pro Classic is as follows:

The matches will give fans an up-close preview of the 2015 season, with one fan taking a selfie with

Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath (top photo), and enjoying top-tier action on the pitch at IMG Academy.

* All match times are subject to change. The most up-to-date schedule and ticketing information for the IMG Suncoast Pro Classic will be available online at the following link: http://www.imgsuncoastproclassic.com

Feb. 12 – Malmö FF vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies, 7 pm


Feb18, 21,25, 28

imgacademystadiumIMGSuncoastProClassic.com


MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Sixteen student-athletes and three coaches in the IMG Academy Baseball Program recently took a field trip to the Dominican Republic.

For the student-athletes it was an opportunity to learn and compete in one of the most talent-rich baseball areas in the world, and to give back to the community through the game they love.

The group had the opportunity to tour the city of Santa Domingo and its rich history and world renowned beaches. The group also took time to give back to the community, visiting an orphanage outside of the city and helping a resident paint her recently built house.

The experience also provided valuable experience for the group. On one of the days, coaches from the Kansas City Royals took time to work with the student-athletes, and the group took in a Dominican Winter League game.

While the experience is a unique one for high school athletes, in the wake of IMG Academy’s visit, Vanderbilt University, Washington State and Illinois' baseball programs all visited to take part in the same type of experience.


AROUND CAMPUS

PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED:

Eric Feliz (Senior) Michael Feliz (Junior) Jakob Eichaker (Senior) Josh Eichacker (Sophomore) Brennan Bennett (Senior) Austin Stansbury (Senior) Baron Carvel (Senior) Ryan Hanrahan (Junior) Ryan Caldwell (Sophomore) John David Phillips (Junior) Marcus Goldfarb (Junior) Benjamin Long (Junior) Tanner Beachy (Sophomore) Dallas Killingsworth (Sophomore) Matt Kurgan (Senior) Yacoub Ghajar (Junior)

IMG ACADEMY INSIDER | DEC - JAN 2015 10 IMG ACADEMY INSIDER | DEC - JAN 2015 10

MARIASHARAPOVAThe five-time Grand Slam champion was on campus training and was featured on the TODAY Show when she made a wish come true for 10-year-old cancer survivor Sunny Logan, as the two spent time together on the court.

JESSICAKORDA

After winning two titles on the LPGA Tour, Korda led an instructional clinic on

campus for more than 100 players participating in the

IMG Academy Junior World Match Play Championships.

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NISHIKORI

McCUTCHEN

AROUND CAMPUS

McCutchen returns to IMG Academy with the

MLB Pre-Spring Training Program for a fifth straight

year after leading the Pittsburgh Pirates in runs

(89), hits (172), home runs (25), RBIs (83) and

on-base % (.952) in 2014.

Nishikori has been a fixture on campus for more than a decade, but his star is shining bright after finishing 2014 ranked #5 on the ATP Tour and holding a media day event on campus that attracted more than 50 media members.

SCHOLASTIC CUPIMG Academy student-athletes are not just competitive on the playing field, they’re taking it to the classroom with the first annual Scholastic Cup. The Scholastic Cup will be awarded at the year-end sports banquets to the sports program with the highest overall academic success, determined by team GPA and classroom attendance. Program grades are calculated quarterly, and after the first quarter, the Golf Program has an early lead over second place Soccer. Rankings after first quarter:

Golf Program off to early lead in Scholastic Cup

EDDIE HERR

More than 1,200 players from over 80 countries descended on IMG Academy for the Eddie Herr International Junior Championships. After an exciting week of play, the following champions were crowned on December 7:

Boys 18s: Reilly Opelka (USA) Girls 18s: Dalma Galfi (Hungary) Boys 16s: #1 Sam Riffice (USA) Girls 16s: #2 Sofia Sewing (USA) Boys 14s: #12 Nicolas Mejia (Colombia) Girls 14s: #1 Anastasia Potapova (Russia) Boys 12s: Jungwon Park (Korea) Girls 12s: #1 Himari Sato (Japan)

Champions crowned at Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships

IMG NATIONALS

The second annual IMG Nationals attracted more than 40 teams from 15 states to IMG Academy for three days of fast paced action as teams competed for the distinction of National Champion in the U13, U15, U17 and U19 divisions. Winners included IMG Academy National Team (U19), IMG Academy Varsity (U17), Texas United (U15), and Team Long Island (U13).

Second-annual IMG Nationals crowns four national champions of lacrosse

Eddie Herr finalist Michael Mmoh stands alongside Boys 18s champion Reilly Opelka

#1 Golf (414.8 points)#2 Soccer (413.2 points)#3 Baseball (404.6 points)#4 Tennis (397.5 points)#5 Lacrosse (391.2 points)

#6 Track & Field and Cross Country (389.5 points)

#7 Football (375.3 points)#8 Basketball (367.4 points)


NO. 1

Cheng-Tsung Pan, a member of the Class of 2011, finished a successful fall campaign for the University of Washington, earning the #1 ranking in the final Golfweek/Sagarin individual collegiate rankings. It was not Pan’s first time to reach the top after previously occupying the top spot in the first rankings of 2013. During the fall, Pan also won gold medals for team and individual men’s golf at the 2014 Asian Games.

Cheng-Tsung Pan finished fall campaign #1 in Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings

MOVING UPShaq Moore and Tyler Turner were able to earn professional soccer opportunities in the spring of 2014, and were recently named as members of the U.S. Soccer U20 Men’s National Team as they head into the CONCACAF U20 Championship in Jamaica. The CONCACAF Championship will determine which four teams from the United States’ qualifying region will travel to New Zealand this summer to play in the U20 World Cup. Turner was the youngest player ever to sign a Major League Soccer contract with Orlando City SC in September 2013, while Moore is current playing in Spain with Huracán Valencia CF of Segunda Division B and trained with the U20s for a fitness camp at IMG Academy in December.

Shaq Moore and Tyler Turner earn spots on U.S. Soccer U20 squad

LINKALUMNI

NATIONAL CHAMPPablo Aguilar, a member of the Class of 2013, realized his dreams when he helped lead the Virginia Cavaliers to a NCAA men’s soccer national championship title. The Cavaliers were the 16-seed in the tournament, and knocked off #2 UCLA, 4-2, in a penalty kick shootout. Aguilar saw significant playing time as a redshirt freshman in relief of starter Eric Byrd. Aguilar finished the season by logging 872 minutes of playing time, recording one goal and two assists, but was lauded for clutch defensive play throughout the year. Aguilar was the fifth alumnus to earn a national title in 2014 after Deandre Daniels (men’s basketball), Doris Chen (individual women’s golf), Laetitia Beck (team women’s golf) and Danielle Collins (women’s tennis singles) earned titles earlier in the year.

Pablo Aguilar helps lead Virginia to men’s soccer national championship

Class of 2013

Class of 2011

Class of 2014


ALUMNI LINK

FAIR PLAY

Michael Parkhurst, a member of the Class of 2002, returned to Major League Soccer in 2014 and after the season he was honored as the winner of the 2014 Xbox Individual Fair Play Award. Parkhurst is one of only two players to earn the award three times in their career. The award is selected by MLS based on criteria such as fewest fouls committed, cards received and on subjective evaluation of sportsmanlike behavior. Parkhurst is expected to compete at the IMG Suncoast Pro Classic in February.

Michael Parkhurst wins 2014 Xbox Individual Fair Play Award

BRUNO COSTA: Soccer (1999) Currently works for the Brazilian Soccer Federation and brought the Brazil U17 Men’s National Team to campus in November to train for the Nike International Friendlies tournament in Sarasota where they won first place.

SIMON KERSTEN: Tennis (1999-2000) Graduate of Hawaii Pacific University where he played on the men’s tennis team for four years. Kersten lives in Zurich with his wife Nora and works as a sales manager for Sense Core heart monitoring systems.

TAYLOR DEIMANTAS: Golf (2000 – 2003) Attended Florida International University and is currently employed by the Golf Channel (NBC Sports).

ZAK BOGGS: Soccer (2003-2005) Graduated from the University of South Florida with a biomedical sciences major and a master’s in business. Zak received a Fulbright Scholarship to study cancer cell and molecular biology at Leicester University in England and was nominated as a Rhodes Scholar. Zak has played MLS soccer for the New England Revolution and the Charlotte Eagles.

MIKE AMATO: Golf (2004-2007) Graduate of Brown University with a degree in Business and Economics. Amato is working in New York City in real estate acquisitions and finance.

LARRY JACKSON: Soccer (2007-2009) Attended Santa Clara University and graduated with a degree in philosophy. Jackson is currently a goalkeeper for MLS side New England Revolution.

YEVGENIY JASON SHKODNIK: Tennis (2007-2010) Visited campus for the Eddie Herr International Junior Tennis Championships. Shkodnik is the Men’s Tennis Assistant Coach for the State University of New York at Buffalo.

GONZALO ASIS: Tennis (2008-2010) Attended Presbyterian College where he played on the men’s tennis team for four years. Asis is currently working on his Ph.D. in Economics.

SHANNON MORRISH: Soccer (2010-2012) Plays on the women’s soccer team at Vanderbilt, majoring in Child Development and Nursing. Morrish recently returned from a Soles4 Souls trip to Costa Rica with fellow Vanderbilt athletes.

JOSIE TRABERG: Basketball (2011-2013) Currently playing basketball for Regis University in Denver, Colorado. Traberg was IMG Academy senior class president in 2013 and is currently majoring in Politics and Peace & Justice.

CLASS NOTES


FIRST WIN

Emiliano Grillo, a member of the Class of 2010, continues to train at IMG Academy, working with longtime coach Grant Price, and he recently achieved a career milestone by capturing his first professional victory on the PGA TOUR Latinoamerica Visa Open of Argentina. On the final day, Grillo was par or better on every hole to card a 4-under 67 to secure the title, finishing with a remarkable total of 18-under 266.

Emilano Grillo earns first professional title at 2014 Visa Open in Argentina

HEAD COACH

Erica Woods, a member of the Class of 2009, returned to her native Bermuda after being named head coach of the Bermuda Basketball Youth Federation (BBYF) Women’s Wolfpack Elite team. The BBYF Wolfpack Elite is coached exclusively by former Bermuda national team and professional players, and Woods won a bronze medal for Bermuda at the 2007 NatWest Island Games in Greece and represented Great Britain’s Under-20 Women’s Olympic development team at the European Championships in 2009. Woods was a standout player for the Marshall Thundering Herd from 2009-14.

Erica Woods named head coach of BBYF Women’s Wolfpack Elite team

Class of 2010

Class of 2002


IMG Academy alumnus Akin Akman has carved out a name for himself in the world of fashion modeling and has become one of the top fitness instructors in New York City, with a devoted following of clients who call themselves ‘Akin’s Army.’ His clients look to him for inspiration on matters of nutrition, health and powerful living. Akman’s ability to lead and inspire others is a trait that he says was forged over a decade as a student-athlete at IMG Academy.

“It taught me work ethic, because I get up for work at 4:30 a.m. and go teach my classes, and I have enough energy to do everything. IMG built me up to do that, and nobody else can do what I can do because of my experience here,” Akman described. “To this day, I train every day and teach five classes per day, and at Soul Cycle where I train and other places where I’ve been, they can’t even think about training and teaching that much.”

Akman’s experience also afforded him the opportunity to train alongside a multitude of world renowned players, namely, current WTA #2 ranked Maria Sharapova, as the two were both in “Nick’s Group,” as it was called, working directly with Nick Bollettieri. The lessons and the rigor of those sessions in Nick’s Group has been carried over to Akman’s clients today.

“Looking back, Nick [Bollettier]) inspired a lot of the things that I do now, because at one time I really didn’t want to be a coach,” said Akman. “[With Akin’s Army] I never saw it becoming a career, but it

started becoming one, and now I have 300 people following me around every day, and it’s great to be able to have that impact on others.”

He added, “It’s not just the physical part of performance you have to work on, it’s also the mental part, and you have to incorporate this mental strength to have confidence in everything you do, and that’s how I teach.”

Notably, Sharapova was not the only player who would go on to make a name for themselves during Akman’s time at IMG Academy. Also in Akman’s group was Tatiana Golovin and Jamea Jackson, who reached career highs of WTA #12 and 45, respectively, and Donald Young, his one-time roommate who is still active on the ATP Tour and reached a career-high of #38 in 2012. The Williams sisters, Venus and Serena, and Pete Sampras, were also regularly seen at IMG Academy. The Williams sisters and Sampras ultimately combined for 39 ATP and WTA Grand Slam titles.

After IMG Academy, Akman re-located to Boston, where he spent his final year of high school, before signing to play collegiate tennis with Florida Atlantic University. During his college years, Akman returned to IMG Academy at the age of 19 to serve as a summer tennis coach before being discovered by a modeling agency, which led to him relocating to New York. Since then, Akman has walked the runways of Paris and Milan, but his career is only just beginning because Akman is looking to redefine what it means to be a fitness personality.

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Akin Akman featured on the cover of Runners World magazine

Akin Akman recently returned to campus for some recreational tennis training


Adam Cuffaro REALTOR941.752.2683941.812.0791AdamCuffaro@michaelsaunders.comhttp://AdamCuffaro.michaelsaunders.com5500 34th St W • Bradenton, FL 34210

Whether buying, selling or renting, you can trust the IMG specialists at Michael Saunders & Company. Our on-campus office provides the same comprehensive support that you will find in any one of our 26 office locations positioned throughout Florida’s Gulf Coast. The full-service IMG office has been specially designed to assist athletes, families and the local community with residential properties both on-campus and throughout the region. Discover why Michael Saunders & Company is the preferred choice for IMG Academy real estate. Visit our office in the clubhouse lobby today!

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UPCOMING

EVENTSIMG SUNCOAST PRO CLASSIC

FEBRUARY 18 - 28 | Eight Major League Soccer and top international clubs will compete in the inaugural IMG Suncoast Pro Classic at IMG Academy as they gear up for the regular season.

BEACH BLAST

FEBRUARY 20 - 22 | Dozens of the nation’s best varsity and post-graduate basketball teams will battle it out to showcase their skills in front of coaches from many of the nation’s top basketball programs.

IMG CUP BOYS & GIRLS COLLEGE SHOWCASE

MARCH 6 - 8 | Elite youth boys and girls soccer teams from around the southeast will go toe-to-toe in the annual spring event to showcase their skills in front of college coaches from around the country.

IBER CUP

APRIL 1 - 5 | More than 600 teams and 8,000 players from 50 countries will compete at IMG Academy and within the Bradenton/Sarasota area in one of the world’s largest youth soccer events.

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IMGACADEMY.COM

IMG NATIONAL CLASSIC

MARCH 23 - 27, 30 - APRIL 3 | In its third year, the National Classic will take place over two weeks as dozens of the nation’s top baseball teams look to unseat the back-to-back champion Ascenders.

Would you like to leave your legacy at IMG Academy?

Honor or remember loved ones, friends, coaches? Through the Legacy Paver Program, you can place your mark on campus in perpetuity. All net proceeds benefit the IMG Academy Student-Athlete Foundation, a non-profit organization, founded as a means to provide opportunities for deserving student-athletes who might not otherwise have the financial means to experience the world-renowned academics, athletics and character development at IMG Academy.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:imgacademyfoundation.org

SPECIALOFFER!

Date post:	07-Apr-2016
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IMG Academy Insider - December/January 2015

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