Nov. 15, 2011
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Three five-star recruits recently inked their national letter of intent to join the Notre Dame men’s tennis team, head coach Bobby Bayliss announced on Tuesday.
Alex Lawson (Tempe, Ariz.), Quentin Monaghan (Chatham, N.J.) and Kenneth Sabacinski (Plantation, Fla.) will join the Irish for the 2012-13 season, and are a part of the class of 2016.
“As a whole, we are extremely excited about the prospects that we have signed for next year,” said Bayliss. “We love the work ethic and competitive mindset that all three of these kids have, and we expect them to accomplish great things during their time at Notre Dame.”
The trio will look to step right in and replace seniors Niall Fitzgerald, Sam Keeton and Casey Watt, who will conclude their eligibility after the 2012 season.
After a strong fall, the Irish open the 2012 season on Jan. 15, with a pair of home matches against Illinois State and Toledo.
Class of 2016 Recruiting Class
Alex Lawson – Tempe, Ariz.
Lawson, a five-star recruit, is ranked third in Arizona, 13th in the Southwest and 66th nationally. He recently represented the Southwest section at the U.S. Team Championships, playing No. 2 singles. The team advanced all the way to the semifinals of the tournament.
“Alex Lawson is a player that has tremendous upside and potential at the college level,” said associate head coach Ryan Sachire. “He has great size and athleticism, and is left-handed, which gives him a bit of an advantage. Alex works with a number of high-level coaches in the Phoenix area and will certainly come to Notre Dame with a strong understanding of what it will take to be successful at this level. We feel as though Alex is a bit of a diamond in the rough, and we anticipate him helping our program greatly upon his arrival to campus. We are thrilled to have him join us next August.”
Quentin Monaghan – Chatham, N.J.
Monoghan, a fellow five-star recruit, is the top-ranked player in New Jersey, the fifth-ranked player in the Middle Atlantic region and the 30th-ranked player nationally. He has won the last two Eastern Sectional tournaments he has played in, and finished seventh this past summer at the National Claycourt and Hardcourt Championships.
“We could not be more excited about the addition of Quentin Monaghan to our program next fall,” said Sachire. “From very early on in the recruiting process, it was obvious that Quentin was a perfect fit for Notre Dame and our tennis program. He plays with great passion and tenacity on the tennis court, and is one of the best competitors for his age in the country. Quentin attends arguably the best academy for player development in the United State and is very sound technically. The arrow for Quentin Monaghan is pointing straight up, and we anticipate great things for him here at Notre Dame.”
Kenneth Sabacinski – Plantation, Fla.
Sabacinski, the final five-star recruit, is ranked ninth in the state of Florida, 20th in the Southeast and 74th nationally. He has consistently been one of the top five players in Florida for his age group and won the most recent Florida Sectional on Halloween weekend.
“Kenny Sabacinski is a kid who has great familiarity with Notre Dame, as his sister, Julie, plays on our women’s team,” said Sachire. “Kenny is coached by one of the best and most recognizable tennis coaches in our country, and he will most certainly come to Notre Dame with an extremely solid foundation of all-court tennis skills underneath him. We are anxious for Kenny to bring his toughness and competitiveness into our program next fall, and we anticipate him making a tremendous impact at Notre Dame over the next four years.”
–ND–