Nov. 17, 2010
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – With the conclusion of fall signing period, the Vanderbilt men’s tennis team announced the signing of six recruits to join the team in the fall of 2010.
Signing with the Commodores were Gonzales Austin (Miami, Fla.), Joe Dorn (Washington, D.C.), Suresh Eswaran (Sacramento, Calif.), Anton Kovrigin (Rockville, Md.), Jeff Offerdahl (Austin, Texas) and Michael Retta (Annandale, Va).
“This is without a doubt one of the top classes in the country and we are expecting a lot from this outstanding group of young men,” said men’s tennis head coach Ian Duvenhage. “This group has grown very close throughout the recruiting process and they have high expectations for themselves. Each young man is going to bring something different to this team but together we know they are capable of becoming a national championship team, which is what we are striving for here at Vanderbilt University.”
Gonzales Austin: A blue chip recruit out of Miami, Fla., Austin is currently the fourth ranked player in the nation and first in the southeast, according to tennisrecruiting.net. This summer, he competed with the Boys 18 National Team, winning four matches. Austin advanced to the round of 16 at the Easter Bowl ITF Tennis Championships. Most recently, he played in the U.S. Open Junior Tennis Championships.
“Gonzales is a great kid from a great family and is one of the best players in the nation,” said Duvenhage. “We are extremely excited about Gonzales joining our program and we feel he will be ready to contribute right away.”
Joe Dorn: Dorn is a five star recruit who competes at the Tennis Center at College Park. He is the top-ranked player in Washington, D.C. and recently advanced to the semifinals of the St. Louis Gateway Championships. Dorn advanced to the finals of the USTA/MAS Championship #4, and earlier this year, he competed at the USTA National Open. “Joe is a wonderful kid and has a beautiful game,” commented Duvenhage. “He is the type of player that we believe can develop into a top 10 collegiate player and we can’t wait to start working with him.”
Suresh Eswaran: A four star recruit, Eswaran won the Johnson Ranch Championships in the spring. At the USTA National Spring Championships, he fell to fellow Vanderbilt signee Gonzales Austin in the second round.
“Suresh is a fun guy that everyone on the team fell in love with,” said Duvenhage. “He is a joy to be around and has the tools and the ability to develop into an outstanding college tennis player.”
Anton Kovrigin: Another five-star recruit, Kovrigin also plays at the Tennis Center at College Park along with Dorn where he is the top ranked player in the state of Maryland. He advanced to the semifinals of the USTA National Opens in July, and won the Northeast Region Championships in June of this year. He also won the USTA/MAS Boys’ 18 Championships #1 and 2 earlier in the year.
“Anton is a tremendous player,” noted Duvenhage. “His work ethic is one of the best we’ve seen and he will without a doubt make everyone around him better. We know he is going to accomplish great things in his time at Vanderbilt.”
Jeff Offerdahl: Offerdahl is the second-ranked player in Texas and 23rd in the nation. The blue chip recruit advanced to the semifinals of the Texas Summer Grand Slam as well as the USTA National Open. He picked up three wins while teaming with Gonzales Austin on the boys’ 18 National Team this summer.
“Jeff has proven himself to be one of the best players in the country and embodies the fighting spirit we look for in every player,” said Duvenhage. “Jeff is going to bring so much to the team.”
Michael Retta: Retta is a four star recruit who is ranked ninth in Virginia. He advanced to the quarterfinals of the USTA/MAS Championship #3 as well as the Northeast Region Championships. He competed at the USTA National Opens in May of this year.
“We are thrilled to have Michael join us at Vanderbilt. He is a great tennis player and will have a big impact on our program.”
