Nine Former Players Make Initial 2015 ITA Rankings

Nine former DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships participants were ranked in the Top 100 in the first Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings of 2015. The list of ranked players includes six former boys participants and four former girls participants.

Kourtney Keegan
Photo Courtesy of Florida Athletics

Kourtney Keegan

The Blessed Trinity graduate and University of Florida sophomore opens the 2015 season ranked No. 26 in singes. The former All-Tournament Team selection is looking to follow up her 2014 ITA Southeast Region Rookie Player of the Year honors. Keegan is the only former player to be ranked in both singles and doubles. The sophomore teamed with Brooke Austin to achieve a career-high ranking of 7th in the country after capturing the USTA/ITA Southeast Regional Championship this fall. Keegan was also ranked 47th in the country with teammate Belinda Woolcock.

Abigail Owens

Louisiana State University sophomore Abigial Owens opens the 2015 season with a No. 74 national ranking after a 9-4 singles record in the fall. The Peachtree Ridge alumni has a 24-18 career record at LSU including a semi-final finish at the Jack Kramer Invitational and a Round of 16 finish at the ITA Southern Regional Championship this fall. 

Cassie Mercer

The Huntington graduate and two-time National High School Tennis All-American begins her freshman season at the University of Virginia with a No. 11 national doubles ranking. Mercer and teammate Skylar Morton recorded a 11-3 doubles winning the USTA/ITA Atlantic Regional doubles title to earn an automatic berth to the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships.

Jared Hiltzik
Photo Courtesy of Illinois Athletics

Jared Hiltzik

University of Illinois junior and 2012 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships MVP Jared Hiltzik begins the 2015 season ranked 31st in the country. Hiltzik a two-time NCAA Tournament selection finshed as runner-up in the ITA Midwest Regional Singles Championships and was an at-large selection for the ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships. The New Trier graduate finished his sophomore season as a First-Team All-Big Ten and All-American selection.

Aron Hiltzik

The younger Hiltzik begins his freshman season at the University of Illinois ranked 62nd in the nation in singles. Aron, 2012 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships All-Tournament Team selection, came to Illinois as the top ranked recruit in the Class of 2014. Hiltzik knocked off a pair of ranked players in route to a semi-final finish at the ITA Midwest Regionals. The 18 year old New Trier alumni has already earned a pair of ATP points with three wins on the professional circuit.

Beck Pennington

The University of Kentucky junior has made an impact for the Wildcats since he arrived on campus. Pennington, a Greenwood alumni, is ranked 92nd in the first ITA rankings of the 2015. Pennington won the White singles draw at the Fab Four in Durham, N.C. this fall and advance to the Round of 16 at the ITA Ohio Valley Regional Championships.

Ziqi Wang
The Vestavia Hills graduate begins his freshman season at Yale ranked 95th in the country. The top ranked recruit in Alabama last year Wang already has a runner-up finish at the Connecticut State Championships and a Round of 16 finish at the ITA Northeast Regional Championships. Wang's fall results include a win over Dennis Nguyen of Harvard, the No. 18 ranked player in the country.

Chase Perez-Blanco
The University of Florida freshman opens his first spring in Gainesville as half of the 50th ranked doubles team in the nation. The Gulliver Prep alumni finished his fall season with five straight doubles wins at the Florida Invitational. In singles action Perez-Blanco finished as a semi-finalist at the 2014 USTA Collegiate Clay Court Invitational.

Bradford Zitsch

The Rock Bridge graduate and University of Nebraska junior begins his 2015 season ranked 54th in the national doubles rankings. The 2014 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar teamed with Dusty Boyer to advance to the quarterfinals of the Rice Invitational and ITA Central Regional.

Nine Former Players Named ITA All-Americans

Jared Hiltzik from Illinois Athletics

Jared Hiltzik -- University of Illinois

The Fighting Illini sophomore has accomplished a number of accolades in his first two seasons in Champaign, Illinois. The former tournament Most Valuable Players list now includes 2014 ITA Division I Singles All-American. Hilzik completed his sophomore season of play with a a 17-6 dual match record finishing the year at 31-11 overall in singles. He was selected as the eighth overall seed in the 2014 NCAA Division I Singles Championships. He is a two-time First-Team All-Big Ten selection and was selected as Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2013 after finishing dual match play with a 13-4 record at No. 1 singles.

Joey Fritz from Amherst Athletics

Joey Fritz -- Amherst College

The 2010 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships Boys B Division Most Valuable Player clinched his place in Amherst history this year claiming the NCAA Division III Singles Championship. Over the course of his illustrious four-year career, Fritz has racked up a 68-22 overall record. He led his Amherst squad to 30-win seasons in all four years and a NCAA Division III National Championship as a freshman and senior. Fritz was selected as the 2014 NESCAC Player of the Year and is a two-time First-Team All-NESCAC selection in singles and was selected as First-Team All-NESCAC for doubles as well in 2014. Fritz's collegiate accomplishments now also includes back-to-back ITA Division III Singles All-American selections and a doubles All-American selection this season.

Emerson Walsh -- Johns Hopkins

The Johns Hopkins freshman got off to a hot start in his collegiate career winning the winning the ITA Southeast Regional Championship in the fall. The Trinity alum finished his first collegiate season with a 20-9 doubles record with freshman teammate Michael Buxbaum. He earned the third overall seed the NCAA Division III Doubles Championships. Walsh was a First-Team All-Centennial Conference selection for doubles and finished the season as half of the nation's 6th ranked doubles team in the ITA Division III rankings. His accomplishments earned him the honor of ITA Division III Doubles All-American.

Palmer Campbell -- Middlebury

The Montgomery Bell Academy alum had an outstanding sophomore season for Middlebury. Playing the No. 2 doubles slot for the Panthers Campbell and teammate Brantner Jones tallied a successful 24-9 record. The duo won the USTA/ITA Small College National Tennis Doubles Championship last fall and ended the season ranked 21st nationally, the highest of any No. 2 team in the country. The team's overall record included a 4-1 record during Middlebury’s five NCAA Tournament matches. Campbell was selected as First-Team All-NESCAC for doubles and was named an ITA Division III Doubles All-American.

Ben Shklyar -- UW-Whitewater

Shklyar, who finished the season having played with three different doubles partners, claimed his first ITA Division III Doubles All-American selection. The UW-Whitewater junior finished his season with a 23-10 overall doubles record including a 10-6 record at No. 1 doubles for the Warhawks. In the fall, Shklyar paired with teammate Byron Balkin to win the ITA Midwest Regional Doubles title. 

Joulia Likhanskaia -- Bowdoin

The Bowdoin freshman set a number of records her freshman season including tying the school record for wins by a freshman with a 19-3 record during the spring. The Winter Park alum finished the year ranked 19th nationally in the ITA Division III rankings. Likhanskaia was named First-Team All-NESCAC for singles and selected as NESCAC Rookie of the Year. She enjoyed win streaks of six and nine matches in singles play during the spring season. Likhanskaia and teammate Emma Lewis also finished the year ranked 18th nationally in doubles. Her accomplishments earned her the honor of ITA Division III Singles All-American.

Bronte Goodhue -- Sewanee

Girls Preparatory School alum Bronte Goodhue is the only former girls participant to be selected as an ITA Division III All-American in both singles and doubles. The Sewanee junior captured All-American accolades for the second straight year. Goodhue finished the season ranked 15th in the nation in singles and 10th in the country in doubles in the ITA Division III rankings. Undefeated in both singles and doubles during the Tigers championship winning run through the conference tournament, Goodhue was named Southern Athletic Association Player of the Year and received First-Team All-Conference honors.

Madeline Benn -- Skidmore

Skidmore freshman Madeline Benn was dominant in her freshman year of play for the Thoroughbreds. The Gulliver Prep alum was a five-time Liberty League Rookie of the Week selection and received First-Team All-Liberty League honors in both singles and doubles. Benn and Liberty League Player of the Year Ford Lee advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Doubles Championships. Benn's honors make her just the ninth women in school history to receive All-American honors. The duo of Benn/Ford finished the season ranked 14th in the nation in the ITA Division III rankings. The final ranking cemented Benn's selection as Liberty League Rookie of the Year and ITA Division III Doubles All-American.

Jessica Bourque -- Stevens

The 2011 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships Girls B Division Most Valuable Player has garnered plenty of honors in her first three seasons at Stevens. Her freshman year she was named Empire 8 Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year. Her sophomore season she was honored as First-Team All-Empire 8 for both singles and doubles with 20 singles wins and 15 doubles wins. Bourque led the Ducks this past fall with 14 singles wins en-route to being named Empire 8 Player of the Year and First-Team All-Empire 8 for the second and third time respectively. Additionally, Bourque represented Stevens for the third-straight year at the ITA Northeast Regional Championships, playing for the first time in doubles with senior Lisa Tessitore. The junior currently stands top-five in school history for career wins. Borque and Tessitore were selected as ITA Division III Doubles All-Americans.

Hinsdale Central Claims Third Straight Illinois State Championship

Two-time DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championship Boys A Division Champion, Hinsdale Central, was dominant at the Illinois State Championships to claim their third straight state title over the weekend. The Red Devils also completed the three peat from 2007-2009. Hinsdale Central has clinched the state title after just the second day of state tournament play with all four entries advancing to the state semi-finals including the top seeded doubles team of Lope Adelakun and Chase Hamilton and defending singles state champion and top seed Martin Joyce.

Top Seeded Joyce advanced to his second straight state final with a 6-1, 6-3 semi-final win. He was joined by teammate Eddie Grabill in the state championship following Grabill's 7-5, 6-2 win in the semi-finals. The all-Hinsdale Central singles state final marked the first time since 2011, and only the second time since 1990, that teammates have met in the state finals. "It is hard to play against one of your friends," Grabill said. "You don't want to see him lose, but at the same time, I want to win this match. Hinsdale Central Coach John Naisbitt described the final as "gut-wrenching, like watching your two sons box." Grabill took advantage of his opportunity claiming the singles state championship with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 victory. The victory made Grabill just the second player in Illinois history to claim both a singles and doubles state championship.

In doubles the top seeded duo of Adelakun & Hamilton needed three sets to advance to the finals over Corey Schwartz & Alex Galoustian of New Trier with a 3-6, 7-6(3) 6-1 victory. Teammates Michael Czlonka & James Bruning lost two straight matches in tournament play falling 6-2, 6-2 in the semi-finals and 6-4, 6-2 in the third place match to New Trier's Schwartz & Galoustian. Stevenson's duo of Colin Harvey & Andrew Komarov were too much for the top seeds from Hinsdale Central claiming the state title with a 6-3, 6-1 victory.

The final team scores gave Hinsdale Central the state title by a margin of 15 points outscoring second place Lake Forest 56-41. Fellow DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships participants New Trier and Edwardsville finished 3rd and 8th place respectively. The defending champion Red Devils, who return four of six members of their state championship team, will return to defend their title at the 2015 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships. Hinsdale hopes to become the first boys team in history to win three straight tournament titles.

HINSDALE CENTRAL DOMINATES TO WIN SECOND STRAIGHT TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP

With one of the strongest fields in DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships history the Hinsdale Central Red Devils clinched their second straight Boys A Division Championship in dominant fashion. The two-time tournament champion outscored their opponents 33-3 in 2014 proving to be even more dominant than their 31-5 record in route to their first tournament title last year. 

After a rain delay pushed the start of the tournament back 3 hours of Friday the tournament produced one of the most competitive opening rounds of play in recent memory. The first round had only two shutouts with eventual Champion Hinsdale Central shutting out Jenks and Spartanburg blanked Edwardsville. The 2011 & 2013 tournament champion New Trier had to win four of their six singles matches to narrowly advance past RJ Reynolds in the most competitive first round match up. Barron Collier, MICDS Rockhurst and Winter Park also to the quarterfinals with opening round wins. 

The quarterfinals produced a pair of phenomenal matches as Saint Xavier defeated New Trier 5-4, in a battle of two of the tournaments past three team champions, and Winter Park slipped past Spartanburg 5-4 to advance to the semi-finals. Hindale Central and Barron Collier rolled past their opponents to set up a rematch of the 2013 tournament championship.

In the semi-finals Saint Xavier and Winter Park were knotted at 3-3 after splitting the six singles matches. Saint Xavier took control of the match quickly winning all three doubles points to advance to the championship for the first time since their title in 2010. Hinsdale Central clinched their spot in the finals with a dominant 8-1 victory of back-to-back tournament finalist Barron Collier. 

Despite rainy condititions that pushed all final round matches indoors most matches produced some very competitive results. Cardinal Gibbons finished the tournament 2-2 after a 7-2 victory over Wiregrass Ranch for 13th Place. Webb School of Knoxville clinched an 11th place finish, their best finished in tournament history, after Edwardsville defaulted their final match. RJ Reynolds finished the tournament in 9th Place as the Consolation Winner after defeating Baylor by a narrow margin of 5-4. Spartanburg claimed 7th Place over MICDS with a 6-1 victory. New Trier needed only 5 singles matches to finish to clinch a 5th Place finish over Rockhurst. In a battle of Florida schools Barron Collier won all three doubles points and claimed 3rd Place with a 7-2 victory over Winter Park.

The tournament championship started off in favor of defending champion Hinsdale Central with Michael Lorenzini & Martin Joyce and Eddie Grabill & Chase Hamilton claiming wins at the top two doubles positions. Saint Xavier got their lone point of the match from Matt Graft & Nick Waldeck at No. 3 Doubles. Hinsdale Central went on to win all six singles positions and claim their second straight championship. The Red Devils top two players Martin Joyce and Michael Lorenzini were named Co-Most Valuable Players after their undefeated record in tournament play.

2014 Boys A Division All-Tournament Team

The following players were selected to the 2014 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships Boys A Division All-Tournament Team for their outstanding performance during tournament play.

CO-MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS

MARTIN JOYCE & MICHAEL LORENZINI

JUNIORS • HINSDALE CENTRAL

SINGLES

CHAMBERS EASTERLING

FRESHMAN • SPARTANBURG

ALEX GOLOUSTIAN

SENIOR • NEW TRIER

ROBERT KELLY

SENIOR • CARDINAL GIBBONS

BRANDON LANCASTER

JUNIOR • SAINT XAVIER

LORENZO ROLLHAUSER

JUNIOR • WEBB SCHOOL OF KNOXVILLE

ALAN SWEET

JUNIOR • BARRON COLLIER

ARTHUR VIALLANEIX

SENIOR • WINTER PARK

DOUBLES

MARTIN JOYCE & MICHAEL LORENZINI

JUNIORS • HINSDALE CENTRAL

BRANDON LANCASTER & DREW SINGERMAN

JUNIOR & FRESHMAN • SAINT XAVIER

PAUL JOHNSON & ALAN SWEET

SENIOR & JUNIOR • BARRON COLLIER

BENNETT CRANE & JACK RIAZZI

SOPHOMORE & SENIOR • RJ REYNOLDS

PRESENTED BY

5TH PLACE [BOYS A DIVISION] -- NEW TRIER 5, ROCKHURST 0

NEW TRIER 5, ROCKHURST 0

Saturday, March 29, 2014 | 6:00pm
Tennis Club at Springhurst

SINGLES

1. Alex Galoustian (NT) def. Alex Koca 8-3
2. Did Not Finish
3. Tom Bickel (NT) def. Joe O'Connor 8-3
4. Corey Schwartz (NT) deff. Jack Evans 8-5
5. Wyatt Mayers (NT) def. Jacob Moore 8-4
6. Thomas Hanley (NT) def. Joe Ibarra 8-6

DOUBLES
    Did Not Play

THIRD ROUND [BOYS A DIVISION] -- NEW TRIER 5, SPARTANBURG 2

NEW TRIER 5, SPARTANBURG 2

Friday, March 28, 2014 | 10:00pm
Tennis Club at Springhurst

SINGLES

1. Alex Galoustian (NT) def. Spencer Brown 8-4
2. Chambers Easterling (S) def. Scott Bickel 8-6
3. Tom Bickel (NT) def. Noah Nawabi 8-5
4. Corey Schwartz (NT) def. Omar Williams 8-6
5. Thomas Hanley (NT) def. Bryce Keim 9-7
6. Arpit Maini (S) def. Matthew Mead 8-5

DOUBLES

1. DNF
2. Alex Galoustian & Corey Schwartz (NT) def. Chambers Easterling & Bryce Keim 8-4
3. DNF

SECOND ROUND [BOYS A DIVISION] -- SAINT XAVIER 5, NEW TRIER 4

SAINT XAVIER 5, NEW TRIER 4

Friday, March 28, 2014 | 5:30pm
Saint Xavier High School

SINGLES

1. Brandon Lancaster (X) def. Alex Galoustian 8-6
2. Drew Singerman (X) def. Tom Bickel 8-0
3. Scott Bickel (NT) def. Nick Waldeck 8-0
4. Matt Graft (X) def. Corey Schwartz 8-5
5. Coleman Cox (X) def. Scott Drier 8-2
6. Nick Quinones (X) def. Wyatt Mayer 8-4

DOUBLES

1. Alex Galoustian & Tom Bickel (NT) def. Coleman Cox & Matt Graft 9-8
2. Thomas Hanley & Matthew Mead (NT) def. Kamron Akrami & Andrew Willett 8-5
3. Ricky Mayer & Aaron Krankl (NT) def. Devin Kelly & Partick Koshewa 8-5

FIRST ROUND [BOYS A DIVISION] -- NEW TRIER 5, RJ REYNOLDS 4

NEW TRIER 5, RJ REYNOLDS 4

Friday, March 28, 2014 | 1:00pm
Top Gun Academy

SINGLES

1. Alex Galoustian (NT) def. Jack Riazzi 8-3
2. Bennett Crane (RJ) def. Tom Bickel 8-4
3. Scott Bickel (NT) def. Nate Rowell 8-0
4. Nick McDaniel (RJ) def. Corey Schwartz 9-7
5. Scott Drier (NT) def. John Kertzschmar 8-1
6. Wyatt Mayer (NT) def. Graham Young 8-0

DOUBLES

1. Jack Riazzi & Bennett Crant (RJ) def. Alex Galoustian & Corey Schwartz 8-2
2. Scott Bickel & Tom Bickel (NT) def. Nate Rowell & Graham Young 8-1
3. Nick McDaniel & John Kertzschmar (RJ) def. Wyatt Mayer & Scott Drier 8-2

2014 Boys A Division Tournament Pairings Released

The schedule and pairings have been released for the 2014 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships Boys A Division presented by Subway. The 2014 tournament will feature 16 teams from nine different states including eight defending team State Champions.

The top half of the tournament bracket is highlighted by defending tournament and Illinois State Champion Hinsdale Central (Hinsdale, IL). The Red Devils return three of Illinois' top juniors Eddie Grabill, Martin Joyce, and Michael Lorenzini. Hinsdale Central outscored their tournament opponents 31-5 in 2013. Hinsdale Central will open tournament play against Jenks (Jenks, OK), Oklahoma Class 6A runner-up. Jenks is led by Oklahoma No. 2 singles semi-finalists Mitchell Worley. Missouri Class AA State Champion Rockhurst (Kansas City, MO) will make their first tournament appearence. The Hawklets led by Doubles State Champions John Nogalski and Jacob Moore will meet Baylor (Chattanooga, TN) in the opening round. Baylor is led by Pomona commit  Marko Mandic. 

The top half of the bracket also features Missouri Class A State Champion Mary Institute and County Day School (Saint Louis, MO). MICDS is led by Missouri's top ranked junior Joseph McAllister and top ranked freshman Rohit Chouhan. The Rams open tournament play against Tennessee Division II Class A State Champion Webb School of Knoxville (Knoxville, TN). Webb School is led by Tennessee Division II Class A state finalist Lorenzo Rollhauser and Tennessee's top ranked freshman Thomas Loaiza. Barron Collier (Naples, FL) back-to-back tournament runner-up will open play against Cardinal Gibbons (Raleigh, NC). Barron Collier, defending Florida Class 3A State Champion, is led by junior Alan Sweet. North Carolina Class 3A State Champion Cardinal Gibbons is led by 2013 All-American and North Carolina signee Robert Kelly and junior Matt Galush.

Two-time tournament champion New Trier (Winnetka, IL) returns to the tournament for the first time since winning back-to-back championships in 2011 & 2012. The Trevians are led by the nation's 6th ranked senior Thomas Fawcett, a Stanford signee, and DePaul signee Alex Galoustian. New Trier opens tournament play against R.J. Reynolds (Winston-Salem, NC), 2013 North Carolina Class 4A runner-up. North Carolina Class 4A Doubles state champion Jack Riazzi will lead the Deamons. The tournaments all-time winningest program Saint Xavier (Louisville, KY) will open tournament play against 2013 Georgia Class 3A State Champion Blessed Trinity (Roswell, GA). The defending Kentucky State Champion Tigers are led by Kentucky Singles state finalist Brandon Lancaster and Kentucky Doubles state finalists Coleman Cox and Nick Waldeck. Blessed Trinity is led by juniors Matt Ghering and Matt Marin. 

Spartanburg (Spartanburg, SC) will open tournament play against Edwardsville (Edwardsville, IL). The Vikings, a round of 16 finisher in South Carolina last season, are led by two of South Carolina's top freshman Spencer Brown and Chambers Easterling. Edwardsville, Illinois' 6th place finisher in 2013, returns Saint Louis commit Brandon Harris, Jack Desse, and Logan Ware. The last match of the bracket is a matchup of the 3rd and 4th place finishers in the 2013 Florida Class 3A State Championships. 3rd Place finisher Winter Park (Winter Park, FL) returns Coastal Georgia signee Arthur Viallaneix and add junior Ninan Kumar. Wiregrass Ranch (Wesley Chapel, FL) are led by Agie Moreno, a top 30 recruit in the sophomore class. 

The tournament semi-finals will take place on Saturday at 10:00am at E.P. Sawyer State Park. The 2014 tournament Championship will take place at 2:30pm.

Former MVP Hiltzik Leads Past Participants In ITA Division I Rankings

Former DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships participants continue to show up in the latest Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division I Rankings.

	#4 - Jared Hiltzik, University of Illinois Former tournament MVP Jared Hiltzik is currently ranked 4th in the country in the latest ITA Men's Division I Singles Rankings and 31st in Doubles Rankings. Hiltzik, a sophomore at the University of Illinois, went undefeated (8-0) in singles play and 4-1 in doubles play to lead New Trier to back-to-back tournament championships in 2011-12.  His performances earned him Singles All-Tournament team honors in 2011 and MVP and Doubles All-Tournament team honors in 2012. Hiltzik was named a National High School Tennis All-American in 2012.
	#36 - Brett Clark, University of North Carolina Clark, a sophomore at the University of North Carolina, was a back-to-back All-Tournament team selection in 2011 & 2012. Clark, currently ranked 36th in the ITA Men's Division I National Singles Rankings and 29th in the Doubles Rankings, led his Barron Collier team to a runner-up finish in the 2012 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships. He finished his two tournament experiences with a 7-1 overall record in singles and a 6-2 overall record in doubles. Clark was named a National High School Tennis All-American in 2011 & 2012.
	#39 - Kourtney Keegan, University of Florida The University of Florida freshman is ranked 39th in the ITA Women's Division I National Singles Rankings making her the highest ranked female alum in tournament history. Keegan, a 2012 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships participant, earned both singles and doubles All-Tournament team honors. She finished the tournament with an 3-0 singles record and 2-0 doubles record leading her Blessed Trinity team to a 3rd place finish. Keegan was named a National High School Tennis All-American in 2012 & 2013.
	#55 - Beck Pennington, University of Kentucky Pennington, ranked 55th in the ITA Men's Division I National Singles Rankings, is a two-time All-Tournament team selection. The Bowling Green, KY native and sophomore at Kentucky led his Greenwood high school team to back-to-back tournament titles in 2008 & 2009. Pennington earned doubles All-Tournament team honors as an eighth-grader in 2008 and repeated with singles honors in 2009. Pennington was named a National High School Tennis All-American in 2012.

Press Release -- Louisville To Host Prestigious Boys Decoturf High School Tenins Team Championships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Brandon Feusner
Tel: 502-819-7784
Email: hstennischampionships@gmail.com

LOUISVILLE TO HOST PRESTIGIOUS BOYS DECOTURF 

HIGH SCHOOL TENINS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS

Twenty-Four of the Nation's Top Boys High School Tennis Teams to Compete in 7th Annual Event

March 20, 2013 – Louisville, KY – Twenty-four of the nation's top boys high school tennis teams will travel to Louisville, Kentucky this weekend to compete in the prestigious Boys DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships. The seventh annual national invitational tournament will take place on March 22nd and 23rd and feature nine defending state champions and three state finalists. The tournament will host teams from California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia.

The championships will be hosted in Louisville, KY. The event will feature 24 teams and nearly 250 players competing in nearly 400 matches in the two divisions over the weekend. The Boys A Division tournament will begin with first and quarterfinal rounds of play on Friday at E.P. Sawyer State Park, Top Gun Academy, Saint Xavier High School and Central Park. The tournament will resume of Saturday with semi-final and championship round matches at E.P. Sawyer State Park and Top Gun Academy. The Boys A Division features 16 teams that will compete in the non-elimination tournament with each team guaranteed four matches.

For the first time since 2010 a new champion will be crowned as back-to-back champion New Trier (Winnetka, IL) is not competing in the event this year. The top half of the bracket will feature host school Saint Xaiver (Louisville, KY), the 2010 tournament champion, who returns a strong-lineup from their 2012 State Championship team including defending singles State Champion and Alabama signee Sean Donohue. The Tigers also return 2012 doubles state semi-finalists Brandon Lancasterr, Zachary Kuo and Parker Thieneman. Saint Xavier could face a second round matchup with defending Tennessee Division II Class AA State Runner-Up, Memphis University School, who returns a pair of past Singles State Champions in Penn commit Marshall Sharp and Tennessee's top ranked junior Walker Sims. Also in the top half of the bracket is 2012 tournament finalist Barron Collier who returns three players that helped the Cougars reach the finals last year including Paul Johnson, Alan Sweet and 2012 DecoTurf All-Tournament Team member Jorge Vargas.

The bottom half of the bracket is led by Hinsdale Central (Hinsdale, IL) who defeated 2012 tournament champion New Trier to last year's Illinois State Championship. The Red Devils, who are making their second appearance in the event, are led by a trio of players ranked in the top 60 in the country in the sophomore class including blue-chip recruit Martin Joyce, and 5-star recruits Michael Lorenzini and Eddie Grabill. Hinsdale Central's top competition in the bottom bracket will include defending Florida Class AA State Runner-Up, Gulliver Prep, who return the two of the top 3 ranked recruits in the southeast in Chase Perez-Blanco, defending state runner-up at #1 singles and state champion at #1 doubles and Baker Newman, who won a state championship at #2 singles and paired with Perez-Blanco for the #1 doubles state championship.

Other top players competing in the Boys A Division include LSU signee Hobie Hotard (Jesuit), Georgetown commit Jordan Portner (Mount St Joseph) and Middle Tennessee State signee Aaron Jumonville (Montgomery Bell Academy).

BOYS A DIVISION

FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS

Barron Collier (Naples, FL) vs. Baylor (Chattanooga, TN)

Deerfield (Deerfield, IL) vs. Davis (Davis, CA)

Saint Xavier (Louisville, KY) vs. Henry Clay (Lexington, KY)

Trinity (Louisville, KY) vs. Memphis University School (Memphis, TN)

Gulliver Prep (Pinecrest, FL) vs. Jesuit (New Orleans, LA)

Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville, TN) vs. Ocean Springs (Ocean Springs, MS)

Mount St Joseph (Baltimore, MD) vs. Winter Park (Winter Park, FL)

McCallie (Chattanooga, TN) vs. Hinsdale Central (Hinsdale, IL)

The Boys B Divsion tournament will begin with first round and consolation semi-final play on Friday at Saint Xavier High School, Top Gun Academy and Central Park. The tournament continue on Saturday with semi-final and championship round matches at Saint Xavier High School. The Boys B Division features 8 teams that will compete in the non-elimnation tournament with each team guarenteed three matches. The field will include defending West Virgnia Class A-AA State Champion Charleston Catholic (Charleston, WV), 2012 Oklahoma Class 6A State Runner-Up Jenks (Jenks, OK), and 2012 Georgia Class AAA State Champion Woodward Academy. Some of Kentucky's top ranked teams including 5th ranked DuPont Manual (Louisville, KY) and 6th ranked Covington Catholic (Covington, KY) and South Oldham (Crestwood, KY) will compete for the B Division title.

The DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships is an national high school invitational held annually in Louisville, KY. The tournament in its 7th year has hosted more than 250 high school teams and more than 2,500 student-athletes. The tournament has hosted 38 team State Champions, 34 individual State Champions,14 National High School All Americans and 68 NCAA Division I signees. For more information on the tournament visit www.hstennischampionships.com.

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If you would like more information or to schedule an interview with Tournament Director Brandon Feusner, please contact him at hstennischampionships@gmail.com or 502- 819-7784.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW...Robert Stineman

Robert Stineman
Class of 2011 - New Trier High School 

The 2011 DecoTurf High School Tennis Team Championships Most Valuable Player, Robert Stineman is getting it done on the court and in the classroom. Stineman, a sophomore at Stanford University, traveled half way across the country to play collegiate tennis but is still finding success. The 2010 and 2011 Illinois Singles State Champion and Team State Champion was named the team MVP for four straight seasons at Winnetka New Trier High School. Stineman who finished his high school career as the 5th ranked senior in the class of 2011 according to the Tennis Recruiting Network and was a blue-chip recruit. Stineman's junior accomplishments include being named the 2010 USTA Midwest Player of the Year and selection as a National High School Tennis All-American in 2010 and 2011.

Stineman picked up first collegiate victory on October 14, 2012 defeating San Francisco's William Schumacher 7-5, 6-1 and went on to win a season-high five consecutive matches the following week. Stineman captured consolation title at the ITA Northwest Regional Championships and compiled a 22-13 overall singles record including a 14-8 dual-match record. Stineman compiled a 23-15 overall doubles record during his freshman season including a 13-11 record in dual matches. Stineman capped off his freshman season going undefeated in NCAA Tournament play as Stanford advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals. He was one of seven members of the 2011-12 Stanford men's tennis team to be selected as ITA Scholar-Athletes.

Stineman and the Stanford Cardinal kicked off their 2012-13 season on September 21st in the Napa Valley Tennis Classic. Stineman's season got off to a tough start as he dropped a pair of three set matches and lost another in a second set tiebreak to fall to 0-3 on the season.