Nov. 21, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Penn State men's tennis head coach Todd Doebler announced the signing of two TennisRecruiting.net five-star tennis recruits on Thursday. Warren Hardie (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) and Bryan Welnetz (Laredo, Texas) will join the team at the beginning of the 2009-10 season.
"We are very excited to have Bryan and Warren joining our program next year," said Doebler. "Both guys have their best tennis ahead of them and we can't wait to begin working with them."
Welnetz comes to Penn State as the No. 42 recruit according to TennisRecruiting.net. He comes from United High School in Laredo, Texas, where he currently owns an overall record of 68-29. Welnetz has represented his team in the No.1 position since he was a freshman. Last May, he was crowned High School Division 5A Singles Champion for the state of Texas. Also recently, he took second place at the Boys' 18 National Open in Denver, Colo., last July. In addition, Welnetz is ranked No. 70 in the USTA Under-18 National Rankings.
"Bryan is a very solid player who is a great competitor," said Doebler. "He can do a lot of things well on the court and loves to work hard on a daily basis."
Hardie joins the Nittany Lion tennis team as the No. 58 recruit according to TennisRecruiting.net. The California native currently plays tennis at Dana Hills High School, where he owns an overall record of 53-23. The right-handed five-star prospect holds an impressive 12-8 record against other five-star recruits. Additionally, Hardie is ranked No. 98 in the USTA Under-18 National Rankings.
"Warren has a lot of upside and has only begun to tap into all that he is capable of," said Doebler. "He is a very energetic guy who is going to thrive in a team environment."
The Nittany Lions will begin their quest for a fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance on January 18 at 11 a.m. as they will travel to N.C. State. The first home appearance will be on January 24, as Penn State will take on Saint Bonaventure and Saint Joseph's in a doubleheader, with all action beginning at 10 a.m. Penn State will host the ITA Team Indoor Qualifiers this year, with action beginning on January 31 and ending on February 1.
-NITTANY LIONS-