TIFTON — The Abraham Baldwin Stallions tennis team ended the NJCAA Men’s National Tennis Tournament in a third place tie with host Collin County (Texas) Community College. Collin County hosted the tournament at their tennis center in Plano, Texas.

ABAC and Collin County each had 35 points. Laredo (Texas) Community College won the national title with 48 points, while Tyler (Texas) Junior College finished second with 46.

Besides finishing third in the nation, ABAC head coach Alan Kramer was also honored at the tournament by being named the winner of the 2006 Hershel Stephens Coaching Award. According to the tournament Web site, that award is for “Outstanding Service and Dedication to the NJCAA Tennis Coaches Association”.

“It is a huge honor,” Kramer said. “It is very meaningful. You can win it only one time in your career.

“Hershel Stephens was a coach at Navarro (Texas), who passed away in the 1970s. He did a lot for the sport and it is great to be mentioned in the same breath as him, as well as (former ABAC head) coach (Norman “Red”) Hill and (Collin County head coach) Marty Berryman, who have both won this award.”

Besides the award, Kramer was also named vice president of the NJCAA Tennis Coaches Association, which means he will chair the group’s hall-of-fame committee.

The Stallions ended the tournament Friday with one match.

In the championship finals at No. 1 doubles, ABAC’s Justin Pickham and Nikola Prpic were defeated by Henry Estrella and Daniel Pazos of Laredo, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).

It was the final match for both Pickham and Prpic as ABAC Stallions.