Top Dogs: Best Players of the Elite 8

Top Dogs: Players of the Elite 8, Ranked

The Bloggers will tell ya. I have a lot going on this week, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t be dishing out new and cool blog articles for you given that the Elite 8 is less than 5 days away. Instead of doing grueling head to heads and match by match previews (which we will do), I’ve decided I wanted to do something a bit more fun. In this article, I’m going to rundown the “BEST 35 PLAYERS OF THE ELITE 8.” This is similar to this NCAAB article (link) that they do every year, figured it’d be cool for DIII Tennis. Let’s get down to business because this article was promised two days ago and I’m already half a day late+half a day+another day (oops).

Below, you will find my ranking of the BEST 35 PLAYERS OF THE ELITE 8, RANKED. Will this piss some players off? Yes. But, that is not my goal. My goal is to just throw a spotlight on each one of these fantastic players and try and rank them in the most honest way possible. Many will disagree with these rankings, but hey, that’s what the Blog is here to do. Promote discussion about DIII Tennis. Without further ado (no idea how to spell that), I present to you the best 35 players of the Elite 8.

1. Niko Parodi, Sophomore (CMS) UTR=12.79 – DIIIWest and NewD3Central are newbies that swear by the power of Parodi and they have good reason to. Parodi is essentially favored in every match that he plays, and brings one of the best all around games in the nation. Oh, plus he’s also cool as a cucumber.
2. Lubo Cuba, Junior (Midd), UTR=12.86 – #Lube. Cuba has been as much of an enigma as his last name this year, with multiple matches where he’d lose the first set to a lesser opponent only to come back and win it in three. Cuba’s smooth game is easy on the eyes, he doesn’t take himself TOO seriously, and loves to be seen as Captain Cool out there. No one will debate whether or not Cuba is one of the best in this tournament, but there are days where he might drop a little further than most if his minds not in it.
3. Grant Urken, Junior (BOW), UTR=12.73 – From afterthought to one of the best players in the nation, Urken brings his big game to the court in BOTH singles and doubles, occupying the top spot for the #1 team. Does that mean he’s the best player? No. But it puts him pretty darn close. Watch out for 125 mph Urken serves and forehands screaming past you at a moments notice.
4. Brian Grodecki, Senior (Williams), UTR=12.61 – BG has been one of, if not the best player in the country this year. His play down the stretch will be crucial for the Ephs as he has hypothetical matchups with Jemison, Cuba/Hewlin, and Urken/Parodi in the finals. I don’t care if you’re the best player in the country, there’s very little chance of going undefeated through that onslaught. If the Eph senior does win the majority of those matches, Williams will be in a great spot to make me look like the genius you should already know I am, as I’ll win the Bracket Challenge.
5. Jonathan Jemison, Junior (Emory), UTR=12.93 – Jemison has been highly regarded since he came in as a freshman two years ago, and has ascended to the top spot for the Eagles. With a classic baseline game built on consistency and force, Jemison uses his athleticism and drive to wear you down at baseline until he gets that coveted short ball. He seems to be fully healthy and ready to rumble.
6. Luke Tsai, Senior (Chicago), UTR=12.67 – Arguably Chicago’s best player and certainly more than consistent, Tsai is an absolute grind to play on the court. 50 ball rallies are now the norm, and if you can’t hang, get off the court. Tsai will throw the beatdown on any mentally weak opponents.
7. Luke Tercek, Senior (BOW), UTR=12.87 – One of Bowdoin’s trio of seniors in the starting lineup. Tercek is one of the only serve/volley guys I’ve personally seen be successful in DIII, mostly because most guys don’t have very good serves. Tercek may play #2 singles, but he’s a more than capable #1 and I doubt anyone looks forward to playing this man at the second spot. Countless times I’ve seen Tercek lose the first set only to come back in the final two.
8. Noah Farrell, Junior (Midd), UTR=12.66 – The comeback Junior, Farrell’s pint-size stature used to fool many that played him. But, him and Mosetick changed the game two years ago and now Noah is one of the more feared players in DIII. Don’t expect an easy rally with this player – and prayers up to all those playing him at #2 singles. Get your grind on.
9. Austin Barr, Freshman (Williams), UTR=12.89 – The little brother of MIT’s Tyler Barr, Austin is looking to prove that his exclusion from the NCAA Individuals Selections was an absolute snub. Well, it was a snub, and he doesn’t need to prove it. He has wins over many on this list including WDQ, Katzman, and three set losses to Tercek and Chua. Barr makes Williams 1-2 punch with him and Grodecki pretty damn lethal.
10. Jack Katzman, Freshman (CMS), UTR=12.84 – Katzman was AVZ’s favorite player for a good portion of the year until he began dealing with some injuries that put him in a little bit of a mid-season slump. AVZ is fickle like that. Katzman has proven that he can beat any #2 in the nation at this point and seems to be pretty healthy going into the Elite 8.
11. Nick Chua, Senior (Chicago), UTR=12.43 – It’s sad to see the career of Chewy come to an end this year, but we’ve had our fair share of moments throughout the four years. Armed with the baseball backhand and a really underrated forehand, Chua can whip groundstrokes with the best of em. Known for his propensity to go 3 sets with any opponent, Chua’s clutch factor has always come into debate, but no one can deny he’s a top player.
12. Bernardo Neves, Sophomore (Wash U), UTR=12.53 – Has Neves lost this year? NewD3Central will tell you no, and he’s basically correct. Neves has been downright unbeatable at any spot he’s played at this year and is Wash U’s biggest weapon in this tournament. Slinging groundstroke winners is his favorite pastime and he’s done a lot of it this year.
13. Will de Quant, Senior (Midd), UTR=12.63 – One of three seniors on Middlebury, de Quant has steadily improved since his freshman year. He’d be a #1 on a majority of teams in DIII but sits as one of the best #3 singles players in the nation. Middlebury has a top 3 to be feared and much of that is because he is their rock in the middle of the lineup.
14. Erik Kerrigan Sophomore (CHI), UTR=12.44 – The Chicago #1 singles player has the second best UTR on the team, and his game has recently come into question coming off a missed Spring Break and a tough UAA performance. Kerrigan made a nice run in the NCAA individual tournament last year, so obviously he’s got the goods. But does he have them right now?
15. Hayden Cassone, Freshman (Emory), UTR=12.61 – Call this dude Young Money. Cassone hits some of the biggest shots in the nation and isn’t afraid to do so. It’s quite demoralizing to see someone crushing balls from behind the baseline past you in three seconds, but you gotta be ready for it. Cassone is also one of the louder players in DIII and certainly brings the freshman shenanigans.
16. Zach Hewlin, Senior (Whitman), UTR=12.16 – Senior magic is the only way to explain what happened in GAC this past weekend, as Hewlin took the goods to Alhouni in what was an extremely surprising first singles result. Remember, Hewlin is a former semifinalist in the NCAA Tournament, has beaten Grant Urken this year, and is a senior. The dude has a lot going for him in what are his final matches as well.
17. Johnny Wu, Senior (Wash U), UTR=12.48 – Johnny didn’t acknowledge our meme about him, but that’s okay. We still love him. This grind em down senior is probably the second best player on his team but he brings a ton of leadership and fight that cannot be matched by many in DIII Tennis. In what will be his final matches, Wu deserves to be mentioned with the best of them.
18. Kyle Wolfe, Senior (Bow), UTR=12.21 – Another senior here for Bowdoin in what seems to be a trend for the national title contenders. NE once said “Wolfe always seems to lose non important matches in 3 sets,” which to me just means he wins the important ones when it counts. The Bowdoin #3 singles player is steady, unwavering, and relentless in his game style. You won’t stop Wolfe from getting at least 6 games in a match, so stop trying.
19. Oscar Burney, Sophomore (CMS), UTR=12.55 – The most successful Amherst transfer we’ve seen, Oscar Burney has a propensity for going three sets with literally anyone he plays, and it’s a coin flip on whether or not he’ll win that last set. For CMS, he’s actually been one of their more consistent winners in close matches. And he’s only a sophomore! Burney is loving that Cali life and his results show it.
20. Kyle Schlanger, Senior (Midd), UTR=12.77 – Like Roddy, Schlanger is Midd’s biggest singles advantage. While Cuba, Farrell and de Quant are a nasty top 3, it’s Schlanger, who was at one point ranked as high as #7 in the region, who completes the Death Quad. He will be heavily favored against any competition in this Regional, both in singles and doubles, where he, paired with Cuba, is probably one of the top three teams in the country. Schlanger has NCAA experience, but also has struggled with that pressure before. A redemption arc for the senior might well mean a National Championship for Midd.
21. David Liu, Senior (CHI), UTR=(estimated)12.32 – The man, the myth, the legend. Mr. Liu has been out pretty much all year with a shoulder injury, but he is now back, and with his return comes joy to Coach Tee’s eyes. Liu is sitting at the #5 spot as he tries to get his game back to the level he used to be, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a force to be reckoned with. His ceiling is the best player on this team, and that’s something that needs to be accounted for.
22. Sachin Raghavan, Senior (Williams), UTR=12.25 – #FearTheRaghavani. An up and down year for the elder Raghavan doesn’t take away from this man’s skill. While he might not be the best #3 player in the Elite 8, he’s a senior, he’s been in the tournament many times, and he’s coming off a hammer-dropping win over Zach Bessette in the Elite 8. You know what they say about seniors and the NCAA Tournament right?
23. Adrien Bouchet, Junior (Emory), UTR=12.27 – BOUCHET BOUCHET BOUCHET. The man that clinched last years national championship keeps the Emory theme of brash groundstrokers. With his wind-up “hammer time” backhand, Bouchet is another one that can mash with the best of them. While he hasn’t had the most stellar year, I’m betting Bouchet against most of the players he’s up against.
24. Ananth Raghavan, Sophomore (Williams), UTR=12.41 – #FearTheRaghavani, Part II. Playing right below his brother in the Williams lineup, Raghavan has had a ton of success this year, with wins against Jiang, Schlanger, Bessette, and now Fung. He’s really come into his own this year and is one of the better #4 singles players in the nation.
25. Gil Roddy, Senior (Bow), UTR=12.40 – One of Bowdoin’s three seniors is going to be heavily relied upon heavily moving forward. Roddy brings a consistent game and is oftentimes counted as an automatic win at #5 (by me). Despite playing at the bottom of the lineup, don’t ever underestimate this dudes skill, especially in his final year dancin.
26. Jeremy Yuan, Freshman (CHI), UTR=12.19 – Yuan time for the haters. The freshman Yuan was predicted by our favorite dude NewD3Central that he’d go undefeated in the tournament and has unfortunately lost in doubles once. However, his pairing with Raclin as a #2 doubles team to make the tournament and his general dominance at #4 singles make Yuan one of Chicago’s biggest advantages. Now, he just needs to handle the pressure.
27. Benjamin van der Sman, Freshman (Wash U), UTR=12.38 – This freshman came into the year a bit overrated but found his groove at #3 singles as Neves took the reins from him early in the year. I’ve never seen van der Sman play personally, but obviously Wash U’s top freshman has to be mentioned.
28. Jerry Jiang, Junior (BOW), UTR=12.13 – This junior seems to have been around for quite a while and has more NCAA experience than most players in the tournament. His up and down game style always makes him a question mark, but don’t ever say he hasn’t been clutch for the Polar Bears. Jiang is solid, and that’s what you need as a #4 singles player.
29. Ben Kirsh, Sophomore (Whitman), UTR=12.27 – Not many of you have heard of Ben Kirsh. But, you should have. He hasn’t necessarily had the strongest year, plus his lost to Ekstein last week makes this a little pompous, but Kirsh has split sets with Tercek, Hillis, and beaten Krimbill of Redlands this year. Not a bad resume and definitely puts him in a list of top players.
30. Julian Gordy, Junior (CMS), UTR=12.10 – Gordy has moved up to the #4 spot in CMS’s lineup and has stuck there, with his only DIII loss coming to Gil Roddy (of course) earlier this year. The big junior has notched wins against Williams, Middlebury, GAC, and Pomona along the way, and represents CMS’s most senior singles player. The junior captain is the looked upon for not only singles play, but also as a guide for this young CMS team.
31. Alec Josepher, Senior (Emory), UTR=12.06 – Emory’s highest singles playing senior, Josepher does not get as much respect as he deserves. He’s had a solid year playing at positions that have been more challenging than any task he’s had in his career. Senior magic may shine through come the Elite 8. Josepher is one of my guys to watch out for and he can certainly turn a match around with a win that no one expects him to get.
32. Andrew Harrington, Senior (Emory), UTR=12.47 – My pick for comeback player of the year slides into DIII DMs at #5 singles, where he has barely lost a match all year. Harrington brings senior presence to a team that is actually very young, but he hasn’t had much NCAA experience so I’m not sure how much it’ll help him here. Who knows?
33. Deepak Indrakanti, Junior (Williams), UTR=12.61 – Deepak has barely played this year! But when he has, he’s been up on Eazor, he crushed Levitin in the Sweet 16, and has beaten Fung as well. Indrakanti was either dealing with injuries early in the year or just picked the best time to play his best tennis. Williams is throwing out some surprises for us this time of year.
34. Daniel Park, Sophomore (CMS), UTR=12.40 – Hard to believe that Park is only a sophomore – he was in multiple big matches last year at the bottom of the lineup and continues to be a key contributor for the Stags. Consistency is the name of the game for Park and he’s an absolute grind to play in the California sun. Park actually hasn’t necessarily had the best season of his career this year, but his recent drubbing of TVG (Middlebury) shows me that the dude is on his way to finding his form again.
35. Scott Rubinstein, Senior (Emory), UTR=12.14 – Another senior for Emory, and one that plays important positions in both singles and doubles. Rubinstein has some big wins under his belt from last year’s run to the championship, and has been in every situation that could possibly happen in the tournament. One of Emory’s leaders, Scott will bring the fire and it just so happens that every one of his matches seems to be so, so, important.

And, there you have it folks, my take on some of the best players in the tournament right now. Feel free to give your feedback on where you disagree. There are some excellent matchups incoming and I can’t wait for the rest of the tournament to get started. As always, we’ll be dishing out match by match previews for the Elite 8, where you’ll see the above players face off and test my rankings. And with that, ASouth, OUT.