Nov. 10, 2016

By Joanne Norell

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – For the third straight year, the University of Notre Dame men’s tennis program will welcome one of the top recruiting classes on the country with a pair of blue chip recruits and a five-star prospect signing with the Irish on Wednesday

Blue chippers Richard Ciamarra and William Howells and five-star rated Tristan McCormick will join the Irish next fall, and mark the second straight incoming class in which the Irish attracted at least two blue chips and a five-star recruit. All three players rank among the top 25 in the incoming class, according to the Tennis Recruiting Network

“We are extremely excited that Richard, William and Tristan will be joining our Notre Dame men’s tennis family next August,” Callaghan Family Head Men’s Tennis Coach Ryan Sachire said. “Each of these guys has competed and won at the highest level of junior tennis, and they will each have an opportunity to make a major impact on our program. Most importantly, all three of these young men love Notre Dame and will be great fits academically, athletically and socially at our institution.

“The role that (associate head coach) Adam Schaechterle played in the recruiting of this elite class cannot be understated. He has played an instrumental role in bringing in impact recruiting classes each year since arriving at Notre Dame, and his contributions in this area of our program have been extremely valuable.”

Below, find an in-depth look at Notre Dame’s most recent signees:

Richard Ciamarra (Southington, Conn., Xavier High School)

PREP AND PERSONAL: Will graduate from Xavier High School in May 2017 ââ’¬¦ a blue-chip recruit according to the Tennis Recruiting Network and currently ranks 20th in the incoming class. ââ’¬¦ three-time CIAC Class LL Singles finalist and 2014 champion ââ’¬¦ 2014 Connecticut state singles champion ââ’¬¦ three-time team MVP ââ’¬¦ three-time Hartford Courant Player of the Year ââ’¬¦ 2016 Southern Connecticut Conference Division I Player of the Year ââ’¬¦ 2016 USTA Sectional Championships Sportsmanship Award ââ’¬¦ 2016 USTA National Selection Tournament Singles Champion ââ’¬¦ 2016 ITF Grass Court Doubles Winner ââ’¬¦ reached a No. 1 USTA national ranking as a junior ââ’¬¦ member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and Science Honor Society ââ’¬¦ has achieved honors all three years of high school ââ’¬¦ son of Richard and Theresa Ciamarra ââ’¬¦ has two older sisters, Jilliana and Christina ââ’¬¦ sister Christina played tennis at Rensselear Polytechnic Institute ââ’¬¦ will enroll in the First Year of Studies program with plans to major in finance.

SACHIRE SAYS: “Richard is one of the very best ball strikers in the nation. He is equally offensive off of both wings and hits as clean of a ball as you will see. He has continuously developed his serve and net game to complement what he can do from the baseline. Richard’s upside is tremendous, and he has the potential to be a high-impact player for us for four years.”

William Howells (Boca Raton, Fla., Laurel Springs School)

PREP AND PERSONAL: Will graduate from Laurel Springs in June 2017 ââ’¬¦ a blue-chip recruit according to the Tennis Recruiting Network, ranked 17th in the incoming class ââ’¬¦ played high school varsity tennis as an eighth grader in 2013 at the Collegiate School (Richmond, Va.), going undefeated in both singles and doubles ââ’¬¦ won team 2013 all-prep title and named all-prep in doubles and singles ââ’¬¦ 2013 Virginia State team semi-finalists ââ’¬¦ named to first-team all-state in the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association in 2013 ââ’¬¦ won the USTA National Selection Tournament B14s (July 2013) ââ’¬¦ Won Nike USA Masters B14 (October 2013) ââ’¬¦ won USTA National Selection Tournament B16s (October 2014) ââ’¬¦ won Atlanta and Evert ITF doubles events (October/November 2014) ââ’¬¦ won USTA Florida B18s State Championship (January 2015) ââ’¬¦ third in USTA National Selection Tournament B18s (February 2015) ââ’¬¦ earned the USTA Sportsmanship Award at USTA National Selection Tournament (February 2015) ââ’¬¦ invited to participate in USTA 2015 Boys Team USA training and travel team playoff ââ’¬¦earned 2015 USTA Clay Court Championship B16 Sportsmanship Award and reached singles quarterfinals ââ’¬¦ participated with team USA at PGC G1 ITF and Napa Valley Collegiate Invitational (August/September 2015) ââ’¬¦ played into main draw at USTA Men’s Futures Pro Circuit in Vero Beach, Florida (April/May 2016) ââ’¬¦ won USTA National Selection Tournament B18s (May 2016) ââ’¬¦ currently competing in USTA/ITF Men’s Futures Pro Circuit events ââ’¬¦ has been an Eagle Scout since age 13 ââ’¬¦ set a goal at the age of eight to earn a scholarship to play at Notre Dame ââ’¬¦ attended same private online high school as current Notre Dame men’s tennis sophomore Alex Lebedev ââ’¬¦ son of Henry and Elizabeth Howells ââ’¬¦ younger brother to Henry, Heather and Alexandra ââ’¬¦ will enroll in the First Year of Studies program with plans to major in finance.

SACHIRE SAYS: “William is one of the fastest junior players in the country and will bring a unique athleticism to Notre Dame. He has consistently been one of the elite players in the nation throughout his junior career, and he has a very developed game from all areas of the court. William will be very successful in our program.”

Tristan McCormick (Berwyn, Pa., Dwight School)

PREP AND PERSONAL: Will graduate from Dwight School in June 2017 ââ’¬¦ rated a five-star recruit by the Tennis Recruiting Networkt ââ’¬¦ currently ranked 23rd nationally in the incoming class ââ’¬¦ has posted a 10-2 record against four- and five-star recruits this season ââ’¬¦ played varsity tennis as a high school freshman ââ’¬¦ son of Dan and Teresa McCormick ââ’¬¦ younger brother of Harrison, who played tennis at the United States Military Academy, and Genevieve, who currently plays tennis at USMA ââ’¬¦ will enroll in the First Year of Studies program with plans to major in finance.

SACHIRE SAYS: “There is not a player in the country that is ready to explode more than Tristan. T-Mac possesses two huge weapons in his serve and his forehand, and his attacking style will flourish at Notre Dame. Tristan has established a reputation for being one of the very hardest workers in the country, and we are ecstatic that he will be a core member of our program over the next four years.”

-ND-

Joanne Norell, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2014 and coordinates communications efforts for the Notre Dame women’s soccer, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and fencing programs. Norell is a 2011 graduate of Purdue University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, and earned her master’s degree in sports industry management from Georgetown University in 2013.