BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State University men's tennis head coach
Craig Schwartz announced his 2019 signing class on Friday.
The class features four incoming Mountaineers, three of which are international and an incoming transfer from Samford. Three future Mountaineers earned UTR ratings of at least 12, while one prospect is a top-10 commitment from the state of North Carolina. Schwartz' second recruiting class also features three players that were ranked in the top-790 in the world in the ITF Junior World rankings.
"I am really excited for all four of these young men to be joining our program," head coach
Craig Schwartz said. "They all have the necessary tools to be major impact players from the start. Most importantly, they are all very well-rounded student-athletes that will have great success in the classroom and community. I can't wait to get started with these student athletes in the fall."
Alessio Azzalini | 6'3 | Rome, Italy
Azzalini is rated as a 12 on the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) scale. The future Mountaineer is 10-8 in singles according to UTR, highlighted by an impressive run to the semifinals at the Nazmi Bari Cup in the Main Draw. Azzalini's highest UTR rating for his career was a 12.34. In his most recent tournament at the Bolles BJTCC Winter UTR Tournament, he defeated Tripp Tuff in straight sets. Azzalini was ranked as high as 789 in the World ITF Junior rankings. Born on June 16, 2000, Azzalini is the son of Antonio Azzalini and Maria Sabatino.
Schwartz on Azzalini: Alessio is going to be a great fit for our program both on and off the court. I believe he will transition to the hard court very smoothly based off of his style of play and work ethic. He has all the necessary tools to be a very successful player not only in the Sun Belt Conference, but both regionally and nationally as well. Most importantly, he is of high character and will definitely make an impact on the team right from day one as a student-athlete. He will be a great representative of App State men's tennis for many years to come.
Landon Church | 5'10 | Wilkesboro, N.C. | West Wilke High School
An in-state native, Church is the 10th-rated prospect out of North Carolina and a top-100 recruit in the Southeast region. He posted a stellar 42-2 mark throughout his high school career. In his most recent outing at the USTA Southern Level 1A Championships BG 16 & 18, he won his last match in a three-set affair against Matthew Sloan. Landon is the son of Tim and Kim Church. He was born on Sept. 19, 2000. He has one older brother and one older sister. His brother, Mason, played tennis at Guilford College, while his sister, Brooke, is currently dancing on Broadway. His mother graduated at App State in 1985 and ran track and field for the Mountaineers.
Schwartz on Church: Landon is player that hasn't come close to peaking with his game, but is highly determined to get there. While recruiting him, I saw the many positive attributes and potential he has on the court. That will only help him translate into a very solid college tennis player. His community ties and involvement will only help benefit the entire program. The sky is the limit for him both on and off the court, and I can't wait to get started with him this August.
Aleksander Petrovic | 6'1 | Toronto/Ontario, Canada | Samford
Petrovic will be eligible immediately and will give the Black and Gold a lift after posting two stellar years with the Bulldogs, where he posted a 27-11 mark in singles. The highest UTR rating Petrovic posted was a 12.79. In his freshman year, Petrovic went 15-5 in single en route to landing on the All-SoCon First Team Singles team and All-SoCon Freshman Team. Over two seasons while with the Bulldogs, Samford boasted a winning record of 22-21. Born March 17, 1999, Aleksander is the son of Danijela and Slobodan Petrovic.
Schwartz on Petrovic: I am very happy that Aleksandar chose App State and our program to finish his final two years of college. He is going to be an instant impact and game changer for our team. The success and experience he previously had at Samford on and off the court will only help make the transition seamless. Anytime you add an all-conference caliber player to your program, it is immediately impactful. I am very excited to get to work with Aleks and help take his game to new heights.
Karan Srivastava | 6'1 | Bandung, India
Srivastava is rated as an 12 on the UTR scale, while his highest rating was a 12.32. In 2018, he posted a 6-6 record with three of this wins in the Main Draw of the ASG Junior Tennis Championships, advancing to the quarterfinals. Srivastana posted a ranking as high as 204 in the world in the ITF Junior World rankings. For his singles career in ITF, he notched a 62-47 record. Born on March 17, 2000, Karan is the son of Shriva Srivastava. He has one younger brother.12.32
Schwartz: Karan is a proven player at the international level and that experience alone will only help make the transition easier to college tennis. His big all-around game will translate into a lot of success on the court throughout his college career. The exciting part for me is that he has unlimited potential and has second to none determination to succeed. He will help impact the team right away with his on and off court leadership, demeanor and determination. I can wait to get him on campus and begin to help him achieve his goals and dreams.
