The Vandal men’s tennis team announced Wednesday that they will be adding Kevin Lee, a transfer junior from Lewis-Clark State College.
“Kevin will be a strong addition, as he has three years of college experience under his belt,” coach Jeff Beaman said. “He has a strong counter-punching singles game and smart, consistent doubles game.”
Lee, who was part of the nationally-ranked LCSC tennis program, joins transfer players Adrian Simon, Lachlan Reed, Abid Akbar and Sam Lyons on a squad loaded with talent and potential.
Lee was ranked as high as 42nd in the NAIA in singles play at LCSC and compiled a 13-10 singles record and a 10-12 doubles record.
Before playing for LCSC, Lee had an outstanding junior career, earning four tennis varsity letters at S.M.K St. Columbia, and being named captain of their tennis squad for three years in a row. He was awarded athlete of the year twice by his school on the road to winning divisional, state, and national tournaments. Outside of school, Lee became the youngest player to ever win Borneo Island Closed Singes at age 15. He was ranked as high as second in the national junior ranking, and 1,581 in the International Tennis Federation world junior ranking.
In addition to being part of nationally ranked team, Lee is also an outstanding student, coming into UI as a junior in good standing with a 3.9 grade point average. He is will be studying Chemical Engineering.
Beaman said that the plan is to have Lee redshirted for the ’09-’10 season, and have him compete next year.
“With Adrian Simon, Kuznetsov, and Glukohv in their last year of eligibility, we now have several players to step into the lineup in 2010,” Beaman said. “He (Lee) will definitely be competing for a spot in the lineup next year.”
