LEXINGTON, Ky. — University of Kentucky men’s tennis star Eric Quigley, who just completed his sophomore season at UK, has been named as one of 25 male and female collegiate players to the 2010 United States Tennis Association Summer Collegiate Team, administered by the USTA and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, the organizations announced Friday.
The USTA Summer Collegiate Team is an elite training program for the top American collegiate tennis players. The program began in 1996 and is funded by the USTA. It is designed to provide college players with valuable exposure to the USTA Pro Circuit in a team-oriented environment during the summer months.
“Obviously, this is a great honor for Eric to be named as one of the top American collegiate tennis players,” UK head coach Dennis Emery said. “I know that making this team was one of the goals that Eric set at the beginning of the season and it’s a great accomplishment. This will open a lot of arenas for Eric, not only with exposure but also in his training.”
In addition to competing on the USTA Pro Circuit, USTA Player Development will host two Pro Tour Transition camps – one for men, one for women – for the selected players. The men’s camp will be held June 21-24 on clay courts in Boca Raton, Fla., and coached by USTA National Coach David Dilucia, while the women’s camp will be conducted June 27-July 1 on hard courts in Boca Raton, Fla., and coached by USTA National Coach Sarah Taylor.
“It is a true honor to be selected to this team,” Quigley said. “There were only a handful of players selceted and to be one of them really is an honor. This is a great chance for me to go play against great competition and learn from outstanding coaches to improve my game and I am really looking forward to it.”
Chris Brandi, assistant men’s tennis coach at Baylor University, and Bo Hodge, assistant men’s tennis coach at the University of Alabama, will be coaching the men’s team. Brandi also coached the men’s team in 2009.
The top six American players from the season-ending ITA national singles rankings were eligible for automatic selections. The remaining players on each team were selected by USTA Player Development staff in conjunction with USTA National Coaches, and current collegiate coaches. Eighteen of the players selected received 2010 ITA All-American honors.
Of the 13 male members selected to the team, five are from the Southeastern Conference. Quigley, who joins a short list of Wildcats to be selected to the team, will join fellow SEC foes Sekou Bangoura and Bob van Overbeek from Florida, and Tennys Sandgren and Rhyne Williams of Tennessee on the team. A full list of players selected is below.
Quigley recently completed a successful sophomore season at Kentucky, where he finished with 42 wins. The native of Pewee Valley, Ky., finished the season with All-America honors in both singles and doubles to become only the third player in school history to receive such honors as a sophomore and the first to be named a singles and doubles All-America as a sophomore. Quigley, who finished the season ranked No. 10 in singles and No. 17 in doubles with partner Brad Cox, finished the season with a 21-6 dual match record and 42-12 overall after reaching the NCAA Singles Championship Round of 16. Quigley, who played at the No. 1 singles position all year for UK, was a vital part of the team’s success with Kentucky posting an 18-3 record in dual matches where Quigley won in singles. On top of his two All-American honors, Quigley also was named to the first team All-SEC and ITA Ohio Valley Region Player to Watch.
USTA Summer Collegiate Men’s Team
Sekou Bangoura, Florida (FR, Bradenton, Fla.)
Chase Buchanan, Ohio State (SO, New Albany, Ohio)
Drew Courtney, Virginia (SO, Clifton, Va.)
Jarmere Jenkins, Virginia (FR, College Park, Ga.)
Steve Johnson, Southern California (SO, Orange, Calif.)
Evan King, Michigan (FR, Chicago)
Bradley Klahn, Stanford (SO, Poway, Calif.)
Austin Krajicek, Texas A&M (JR, Brandon, Fla.)
Daniel Nguyen, Southern California (SO, Oxnard, Calif.)
Eric Quigley, Kentucky (SO, Pewee Valley, Ky.)
Tennys Sandgren, Tennessee (FR, Gallatin, Tenn.)
Bob van Overbeek, Florida (FR, Boca Raton, Fla.)
Rhyne Williams, Tennessee (FR, Knoxville, Tenn.)
Quigley Wins US Open National Playoffs Midwest Sectional Qualifying Tournament
Being announced as a member of the USTA Summer Collegiate Team is not the only title UK junior Eric Quigley has claimed recently. The UK star defeated tough competition to claim the US Open National Playoff Midwest Sectional Qualifying Tournament at the Linder Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio last week.
Quigley, a native of Pewee Valley, Ky., lost only 11 games in five matches on his way to the tournament title when he defeated Kyle Collette 6-2, 6-2 in the championship. The 2010-11 junior will advance to the US Open National Playoffs Men’s Championships at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Atlanta, July 22-25. The event is held during the Atlanta Tennis Championships is the first event of the 2010 Olympus US Open Series.
