Wessels adds ITA All-American honors

Cumberland senior Daniel Wessels continued to add to his decorated collegiate career, earning NAIA ITA singles All-American honors, announced this week by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

The award is given to the Top 20 ranked singles players in the final ITA NAIA national rankings, with Wessels finishing the 2024-25 season at No. 17.

The Heidelberg, South Africa native became the first Cumberland men’s tennis player to receive ITA singles All-American recognition since 2018. His teammates Julian Parada and Vitor Ferreira earned ITA doubles All-American honors last season. Wessels was named to the NAIA second team All-American list last week and helped lead the Phoenix to a 15-10 record and a spot in the NAIA National Championship Round of 16.

Wessels posted a 13-8 record in singles and an 18-3 mark in doubles this season, with much of his doubles success coming alongside Paul-Daniel Meyer. The duo went 8-2 at the No. 3 doubles position and were ranked No. 35 in the final ITA doubles poll.

Wessels’ career accolades also include three All-Conference First Team honors, a Mid-South Conference Freshman of the Year award and this year’s Lindsey Donnell Award for academic and athletic achievement. He is also a four-time ITA Scholar-Athlete, four-time ITA Community Service Award winner and three-time MSC Champions of Character Team member.