BABSON PARK, Fla. (October 21, 2020) – Webber International University Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach Otis Cutshaw has announced that he will be stepping down as the head coach of the Warrior tennis program to join the staff at Lake Region High School in Eagle Lake, Florida. At Lake Region, Cutshaw will become a Business Education Teacher, focusing on digital and web design. He will also coach both the men's and women's tennis teams, and will work as an assistant football coach at the school.

Cutshaw has been the head coach of the Warriors for the past three seasons. He finished with an overall record of 17-30 on the men's side and 14-35 on the women's. However, during his second season at Webber in 2019, Coach Cutshaw helped guide both the Warriors' men's and women's tennis teams to The Sun Conference Tournament for the first time in seven years. It was the first appearance in the tournament for the Webber men's team since the 2014-15 season and was the first for the women's team since the 2011-12 campaign.

In Cutshaw's first year in 2018, he led the Webber women's tennis program to its highest win totals both overall and in the conference since 2012 while the men's team reached its highest win totals since 2015. Then in 2019, both programs increased their number of wins and went 4-3 in The Sun Conference to earn the No. 4 seed in the postseason. Additionally, the Webber men's team reached the 10-win mark for the first time since 2014.

Individually, Coach Cutshaw's first season with the Warriors in 2018 saw Hugo Hasegawa go on to be named Second-Team All-American and First-Team All-Sun Conference, making him the first Webber men's tennis player to earn all-conference since the 2013-14 season. Webber added to its number of all-conference picks under Cutshaw in 2019 with Hasegawa being named to the first-team for the second year in a row while Ivan Bondarenko and Tare Mariga were both named to the second-team.

2018 also marked the first time Webber had an individual [Hasegawa] ranked both regionally and nationally in men's tennis since 2013-14, and was also the first time Webber was ranked regionally in doubles since 2014-15. In fact, the regional doubles ranking was something that was accomplished by Cutshaw in each of his first two seasons at Webber with Hasegwa and Bondarenko in 2018 and Mariga and Bondarenko in 2019. Bondarenko and Mariga also became a nationally-ranked duo in 2019.

Academically, Cutshaw's teams have helped to set the standard as his women's team finished with the highest grade point average among all Webber teams over the last two years while his men's team finished second and third, respectively, among all Webber teams over the last two years and was first during those years among all of Webber's men's teams.

Below are additional academic accomplishments for the Warriors under Cutshaw's watch:

• 2x NAIA Scholar-Team Men and Women
• 7 NAIA Scholar-Athletes (4 Men and 3 Women)
• 2x ITA Scholar-Team Men and Women
• 23 ITA Scholar-Athletes (11 Men and 12 Women)
• 10 Sun Conference All-Academic Athletes (6 Men and 4 Women)

Last but not least, Webber International University would like to thank Coach Cutshaw for his vision and effort in overseeing Webber's tennis court resurfacing project during the summer of 2019. Coach Cutshaw, along with the help of Garrett Martin, Tare Mariga, James Simpson and Colby Boozer, all volunteered their time and energy to resurface all six of the Warriors' tennis courts located on campus, helping to bring the courts back to a championship level and improving the appearance of the tennis facility with a dark green playing surface and a grey exterior. Thanks to all five of you for selflessly spending your time to benefit all of Webber Athletics and the tennis program.

"I enjoyed my time here at Webber and met some great people and made new friendships," said Cutshaw. "We were able to get some things turned around and improve the tennis facility and the program. I am grateful that I was able to come here and be a part of it, though it was only for a short time. I wish Webber continued success and to keep moving forward."

"I want to thank Otis for his time and effort with the men and women's tennis programs at Webber, and we wish him the best on his next chapter of life," said Director of Athletics Brad Niethammer.