Two senior boys’ tennis captains are the only two boys’ tennis student-athletes from the state of New Jersey to be named National High School Tennis All-Americans.

Joshua Mandelbaum and Andrew Kotzen were named All-Americans by the National High School Tennis All-American Foundation, making Newark Academy the only school in the nation with two honorees on the boys’ tennis list. All-American is the highest honor in high school athletics.

During their time at NA to date, Mandelbaum and Kotzen have a combined record of 134-2. They have helped lead the team to three conference, four county, three state and two Tournament of Champions titles. For the entirety of their high school careers, Newark Academy boys’ tennis has been ranked in the top three in the state. Both seniors have signed to play Division I tennis next year. Mandelbaum has committed to Rice University and Kotzen has committed to Columbia University.

“Representing Newark Academy at the national level is extremely special,” says Kotzen. “I’m incredibly grateful and privileged to have received this honor, but more importantly, to have had the opportunity to be a part of this team for the last four years. This experience has not only helped me grow as a player but has also made me a better person and leader off the court.”

Head Coach Lou Scerra has coached Mandelbaum and Kotzen since their freshmen years and named them team captains during their junior season. “Andrew and Josh are so incredibly deserving of this honor. They are both fantastic players, but they’ve also been tremendous leaders for our program on and off the court,” Scerra says. “In a sport traditionally thought of as individual, Andrew and Josh have both been team-first throughout their careers. We’re very proud of them and we can’t wait to see all they achieve as they embark on their college tennis journeys.”

The high school careers are not done just yet for Kotzen and Mandelbaum. Newark Academy will compete in the State Group Championship and the two senior captains will also go on to compete for individual titles.