April 23, 2001

The University of Kentucky men’s tennis team announced the addition of Evan Austin of Naples, Fla., to the 2001 signing class. Austin, a 6-4 lefthander, will join the team in Jan. 2002. Austin currently ranks seventh in the U.S. rankings (Boys 18 & Under).As a 16-year-old, Austin was ranked No. 3 in the U.S., and was a 1998 Easter Bowl quarterfinalist. Austin also advanced to the 16 & Under Clay Court Semifinals in 1998. In 1999, he won the 18 & Under Florida Open and owns career wins over ITF juniors Andy Roddick, Joachim Johansson and Mario Ancic, all top-10 players.

“Evan is the consummate UK recruit,” Coach Dennis Emery said. “He is a hungry American, determined to play at the professional level. This, coupled with his size and the weapons he has with his serve and forehand, gives him a chance to make an immediate impact on our program. Grouped with Matt Emery and Jesse Witten, we now have three top-10 U.S.-ranked juniors. We feel like that gives us a core group as good as anyone in the country.”

Austin joins fellow Naples native Jesse Witten in this year’s signing class