No team has been more consistent over the years than UCLA with the Bruins the only team to make the NCAA Round of 16 every year since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1999. UCLA head coach Billy Martin enters his 23rd year at the helm with 1 National Title (2005) and 4 National Runner-Ups (96/99/04/13) in his previous 22 years.
Martin only loses 1 player from last year’s Round of 16 team though that 1 guy was a valuable one with Dennis Mkrtchian going 15-5 in dual-match play with the majority of his matches coming at #2 singles.
UCLA returns everyone else with Mackenzie McDonald and Martin Redlicki expected to anchor the singles and doubles lineup. McDonald went 15-1 in dual-match play last year with all his matches coming at #1 while Redlicki went 17-3 with most of his matches coming at #2 and #3. The pair combined to go 12-5 at #1 doubles and they also performed well over the summer winning the Costa Mesa Futures and making the semifinals at the Claremont Futures. McDonald is the only current college player with an ATP ranking inside the top 600 and he’s well inside it at 372.
Karue Sell (Sr), Gage Brymer (Jr), and Northwestern transfer Logan Staggs (Soph) are expected to occupy the #3, #4, and #5 spots (in some order). Sell had the second most dual-match wins (16) last season with most of his matches coming at #4 though he did go 4-0 at #3. Brymer only saw limited action last season after dealing with the loss of his mother and he only played in 1 fall tournament while dealing with an injury (see article from Daily Bruin). Logan Staggs is a welcome addition to the roster after going 18-11 in dual-match play last season at Northwestern. This fall Staggs beat USC’s Logan Smith, Connor Farren, and Jack Jaede so he’s already made himself known across town.
Austin Rapp (Soph), Joseph Di Giulio (Jr), and Ryoto Tachi (RSr) are expected to compete for the #6 spot. Both Rapp and Di Giulio saw extensive action last season at #5 and #6 due to the absence of Brymer and with McDonald playing a few pro events. All 3 guys had some good singles results at the Southern California Intercollegiates and Di Giulio teamed with Sell for a team high 7 doubles wins.
Billy Martin added a pair of TRN 5-stars with Hermosa Beach’s Max Cressy and Los Angeles’s Daniel Gealer joining the team in the fall. Cressy only participated in the fall ending Jack Kramer Classic while Gealer didn’t play in any fall events.
UCLA went 19-8 in doubles last season and Martin returns both his #1 and #2 doubles teams. The only spot up for grabs is at #3 and I think a Rapp/Brymer combo would probably work the best but Tachi or Staggs could sneak in there too.
Below are each players fall college records (singles/doubles) along with a list of accomplishments. The ranking listed in front of a player is the ITA preseason ranking. Daniel Gealer, Nikolas Ramadan, and Reid Shumway didn’t have any fall results
#57 Martin Redlicki (7-3/0-0) – won the USTA/ITA Southwest Regional with wins over USC’s #42 Nick Crystal and Logan Smith in the semis and finals, won the doubles title at the $10K Costa Mesa, CA USA F27 Futures (w McDonald)
Karue Sell (6-3/7-3) – made the finals at the Southern California Intercollegiates before falling to #61 Max de Vroome (USC) 6-3 in the 3rd, made the doubles semifinals at the USTA/ITA Southwest Regional (w Di Giulio), made the doubles semifinals at the Jack Kramer Classic (w Di Giulio)
Gage Brymer (2-1/1-2) – made the quarterfinals at the Jack Kramer Classic
Logan Staggs (5-2/2-2) – made the semifinals at the Southern California Intercollegiates, made the quarterfinals at the USTA/ITA Southwest Regional
Austin Rapp (4-3/1-2) – made the quarterfinals at the Southern California Intercollegiates
Joseph Di Giulio (7-4/7-3) – made the quarterfinals at the Southern California Intercollegiates, made the doubles semifinals at the USTA/ITA Southwest Regional (w Sell), made the doubles semifinals at the Jack Kramer Classic (w Sell)
Ryoto Tachi (8-4/2-2) – won the consolation draw at the Southern California Intercollegiates, beat #67 Daan Maasland (Oregon) in route to a Round of 16 finish at the Jack Kramer Classic
Max Cressy (1-2/1-1) – won his opening match at the Jack Kramer Classic, made the doubles quarterfinals at the Jack Kramer Classic (w Brymer)
Michael Guzman (1-2/1-2) – won a consolation match at the Southern California Intercollegiates
Nishanth Yamani (0-2/0-0) – participated at the Southern California Intercollegiates
Travis Martin (0-1/0-1) – participated at the Southern California Intercollegiates
Projected Depth Chart:
1. Mackenzie McDonald
2. Martin Redlicki
3. Karue Sell
4. Gage Brymer
5. Logan Staggs
6. Austin Rapp
7. Joseph Di Giulio
8. Ryoto Tachi
9. Max Cressy
10. Daniel Gealer
11. Michael Guzman
12. Nikolas Ramadan
13. Reid Shumway
14. Nishanth Yamani
15. Travis Martin
Players With A Current ATP Singles Ranking as of 12/21/15 – high in ( )
#372 – Mackenzie McDonald (371)
#1636 – Martin Redlicki (948)
Universal Tennis Rating as of 12/24/15:
15.00 – Mackenzie McDonald
14.11 – Karue Sell
13.87 – Martin Redlicki
13.63 – Logan Staggs
13.58 – Gage Brymer
13.33 – Joseph Di Giulio
13.31 – Austin Rapp
13.11 – Ryoto Tachi
12.65 – Nikolas Ramadan (0%)
12.57 – Max Cressy (20%)
12.32 – Daniel Gealer
11.21 – Michael Guzman (50%)
10.53 – Reid Shumway
9.83 – Nishanth Yamani (10%)
8.84 – Travis Martin (0%)
**UTR reliability 100% unless otherwise noted
Universal Tennis Rating as of 6/3/15
15.05 – Mackenzie McDonald
14.44 – Martin Redlicki
13.98 – Karue Sell
13.84 – Gage Brymer
13.61 – Logan Staggs
13.46 – Joseph Di Giulio
13.10 – Ryoto Tachi
13.07 – Austin Rapp
12.93 – Max Cressy (20%)
12.45 – Daniel Gealer
12.30 – Nikolas Ramadan
11.68 – Michael Guzman (50%)
Didn’t notate Reid Shumway, Nishanth Yamani, or Travis Martin in June
Pre-College Ratings/Rankings:
Peak ITF Junior Ranking:
#12 – Mackenzie McDonald
#33 – Karue Sell
#41 – Martin Redlicki
#146 – Gage Brymer
#427 – Ryoto Tachi
#816 – Joseph Di Giulio
#943 – Austin Rapp
#1406 – Daniel Gealer
#1610 – Logan Staggs
#1618 – Max Cressy
TennisRecruiting.Net Star Rating/High Ranking (Americans Only)
Blue Chip #1 – Gage Brymer
Blue Chip #2 – Mackenzie McDonald
Blue Chip #2 – Martin Redlicki
Blue Chip #5 – Logan Staggs
Blue Chip #6 – Joseph Di Giulio
5-star #14 – Austin Rapp
5-star #22 – Max Cressy
5-star #40 – Daniel Gealer
4-star #58 – Michael Guzman
4-star #69 – Nikolas Ramadan
1-star #399 – Reid Shumway
1-star #1281 – Nishanth Yamani
No Rating – Travis Martin
TRN Yearly Recruiting Rankings:
2015 – RV – (Cressy, Gealer)
2014 – NR – (Redlicki, Rapp, Ramadan)
2013 – #2 – (McDonald, Brymer, Di Giulio, Guzman, Martin)
2012 – NR – (Tachi, Yamani)
2011 – #1 – (Giron, Novikov, Mkrtchian, Sell, Ulrich)
RV = received votes but not enough to make the Top 25; NR = Not Rated
Martin Redlicki originally committed to Duke and switched to UCLA
2016-17 Recruiting Class:
Connor Rapp – Rancho Mirage, CA – TRN 4-star #62 – UTR 12.45
2016 ROSTER
2015 STATS
Departing singles starters: Dennis Mkrtchian (2)
Departing depth: None
Departing doubles starters: Mkrtchian (3)
The Bruins left it all on the court in its Round of 16 match against #1 Oklahoma and pushed the Sooners to the brink before OU’s Florin Bragusi pulled out the deciding match 6-4 in the 3rd at #6 singles. The match started outdoors but after the 4th rain delay it was finally moved indoors and Bragusi was able to adjust a little better than Di Giulio – recap
Doubles Competition
6. Florin Bragusi (OU 13.64) def. Joseph DiGiulio (UCLA 13.44) 6-3, 5-7, 6-4
Oklahoma 27-2
UCLA 17-10
Billy Martin is the most humble and nicest coach in the collegiate game. Over the years many close calls have not gone his way and each time he has handled it with grace and poise. He is an exemplar of good sportsmanship. And that is something tennis could use more of<br />
Thanks for the preview — expect the Bruins to have a strong year! Coach Martin has a great group of players with experience, and I know they are working hard down in Westwood. Go Bruins!