The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Women’s Tennis Adds Five with 2018 Signing Class
January 09 | Women's Tennis
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AKRON, Ohio –Zips' women's tennis coach Brandon Padgett announced on Tuesday the commitment of five student-athletes to continue their education and playing careers at University of Akron next fall.
Joining the Zips will be freshmen Enya Forgaci (Boca Raton, Fla.), Holland Long (Rochester, N.Y.), Claudia Cecilia Rosas Garcia (Gaudalajara, Mexico), and Alexis Steer (Powell, Ohio) as well as graduate transfer Olivia Myers (Belmont, Ohio) from Western Michigan.
A three-star recruit on Tennisrecruiting.net, Forgaci trained at The Evert Academy. A four-time ITF Grade 4 doubles quarterfinalist, she was a ITF Grade 5 doubles semifinalist. In singles action, Forgaci was a two-time ITF Grade 5 quarterfinalist. She is ranked No. 33 in Florida, No. 74 in the Southeast, and No. 235 nationally. As a student at the K12 International Academy, she was a three-time academic excellence honoree. Forgaci was the recipient of the 2017 Sportsmanship Award from the Evert Academy. She plans to study biomedical engineering.
"The moment I stepped on campus and met with the team, I knew I wanted to spend the next chapter of my life here," Forgaci said.
"For the past four years, Enya has been a delight to work with," said tennis legend Chris Evert. "Her love and passion for the game were evident every single day she was at the Evert Tennis Academy. She not only has developed a solid all-court game, but her focus and desire are unmatched. Enya is an excellent and supportive team player who encourages and mentors the younger girls. I have no doubt she will bring leadership, spirit, and wisdom to Akron's college tennis team."
"I could not be happier to have Enya joining our family," said Padgett. "I saw something in her two years ago that simply stuck with me, and when I was finally able to speak with her, I just knew she was a perfect fit for our program. Her mentality, work ethic, and unbelievably lovable personality drew me in from the very beginning. Having Chris Evert speak so amazingly highly of Enya's abilities, drive, and character, made this a perfect match. Enya has jumped up the U.S. national rankings an average of about 100 spots each year, for the past three years, and we see that pattern continuing. The fact that we will have the opportunity to train her for one year before she steps onto the court in a competitive match for us is extremely exciting, for both us and her. We all cannot wait to be on court together."
A two-star recruit on Tennisrecruiting.net, Long trained at the Midtown Athletic Club. She is ranked No. 19 in New York, No. 58 in the Mid-Atlantic, and No. 441 nationally. At Hilton High School, Long helped her team to an undefeated regular season and Section 5 Championship as a sophomore in 2015. She was a three-time All-Greater Rochester selection as well as an All-County pick and Section V Class AA champion. The High Honor Roll student intends to study nursing.
"I chose The University of Akron, because it is a perfect fit for me both athletically and academically," Long said. "I also felt that the tennis team family is something I would love being a part of."
"Holland is an outstanding fit for our team and university," Padgett added. "During her official visit, it became very clear that she was becoming a member of the team right away without any effort, which is exactly what you want to see. The team and Holland gelled together immediately, and it was just a perfect match for her and for us from the very beginning. Holland's natural athleticism is what excites us the most about her game. We feel that she has barely scratched the surface of her true abilities, and we know that she will work extremely hard to reach her full potential as she starts the next chapter of her tennis career. The ceiling is extremely high for this young lady."
A two-time ITF Grade 5 semifinalist, Garcia has 11 ITF singles victories, and 11 ITF doubles victories, and her Pro Circuit record is 1-2 in doubles, including a win over No. 44. She has advanced to the ITF Grade 4 doubles quarterfinals three times and the Grade 5 doubles finals once. In singles action, Garcia has been a Level B3 quarterfinalist and a two-time Grade 4 round of 16 finisher. She plans to study psychology.
"I chose Akron, because since the first time I talked to Brandon Padgett, he transmitted a confidence and trust to me, even though I don't think that I have the best results," said Garcia, who uses her nickname Ceci. "I know for sure that I fit perfectly in Akron, because it is somewhere that I can push myself harder and harder every day to be a better person. Akron is a really big school for me, that brings me a lot of opportunity to push myself to my greatest level in academics and in my tennis."
"Ceci has a wealth of international experience, having played against, and defeated many outstanding players, including a player that recently played in the U.S. Open Juniors, who is a Top 10 NCAA freshman," Padgett said. "Ceci views her game as consistently needing work, which from a coaching perspective, is exciting to see. She has a desire to constantly get better, and will fit right in with the group we already have here, and the rest of the young ladies we have joining the program. In addition to Ceci's tennis abilities, she is an exceptional young woman with an amazing drive and determination, that I know will make her a force to be reckoned with in the conference and beyond."
A three-star recruit on Tennisrecruiting.net, Steer is the all-time record holder for singles wins (27) in a season at Olentangy Liberty High School. A two-time Ohio state qualifier in doubles action, she was the Division I doubles state runner-up in 2015 as a sophomore en route to first-team All-State honors. The three-time All-Conference honoree was the 2017 Licking County League champion. Named her team's MVP twice, Steer is ranked No. 290 nationally. The National Honor Society student and Scholar-Athlete plans to study biology.
"I chose Akron for several reasons," said Steer, who goes by her nickname Lexi. "I was impressed with the athletic facilities on campus. Academically, I was impressed with the possibility of their NEOMED program. The coaches also made Akron feel like a place that I could call home and be successful."
"We are excited to have the opportunity to work with Lexi," Padgett said. "She has a strong upside to her game, and we feel that with our style of coaching, and the high quality of players that Lexi will be surrounded by on a daily basis, she will see the rise in her level of play that she is looking for. From a personal standpoint, the coaching staff felt a strong connection right away, and we love the energy and enthusiasm Lexi will bring to our team. Lexi's love for doubles will be a great asset to the team right away."
Transferring to Akron for her final season of eligibility is Myers. A four-star recruit out of the Pennsylvania Tennis Academy on Tennisrecruiting.net, she was ranked No. 2 in Ohio and No. 48 nationally in 2014. The four-year National Honor Society student studied at the Ohio Virtual Academy (no tennis program). While at Western Michigan, Myers was a second-team All-Mid-American selection as a freshman in 2014, the first freshman to win All-MAC honors. She always played No. 1 or No. 2 singles for the Broncos. An Academic All-MAC honoree who is completing a bachelor's degree in exercise science at WMU, Myers intends to pursue a master's degree in exercise science at Akron.
"I am really excited for this opportunity to be coached by such great coaches and be a part of such an awesome and talented team," Myers said. "I can't wait to continue to compete in the Mid-American Conference and have a great final season! I am also really looking forward to being much closer to my hometown. I truly love the University of Akron and I am glad to have found my second home"
"Olivia coming to Akron is something that I truly feel was meant to be," Padgett said. "There are moments in your life where people are put in front of you for whatever reason, and I feel like this is one of those moments for me, and for Olivia. I think that she has what I would call, unfinished business, to take care of, both athletically and personally, and myself, our coaching staff, and this amazing group of young women on our team, are all going to help her get through all of that unfinished business. As an opposing coach, it's always difficult to truly understand who someone really is, or what they are about. Our coaching staff does as good a job as any, I feel, of embracing opposing team's players. That being said, I still hadn't really gotten to know Olivia much at all in the three years we played against her. I've had the chance to get to know Olivia during the recruiting process this summer and fall, and I could not be happier that I get to coach her during her final year of college tennis. I will do all that I can to make sure that Olivia competes at her highest level ever, has the most successful season ever, and has the experience both on and off the tennis court that she deserves."
Akron opens the spring schedule with four road matches– at Detroit Mercy (Jan. 19), Pitt (Jan. 20), St. Bonaventure (Jan. 26), and Niagara (Jan. 26). UA returns home to host Wright State in its home opener on Jan. 28.
2018 Akron Women's Tennis Signing Class
AKRON, Ohio –Zips' women's tennis coach Brandon Padgett announced on Tuesday the commitment of five student-athletes to continue their education and playing careers at University of Akron next fall.
Joining the Zips will be freshmen Enya Forgaci (Boca Raton, Fla.), Holland Long (Rochester, N.Y.), Claudia Cecilia Rosas Garcia (Gaudalajara, Mexico), and Alexis Steer (Powell, Ohio) as well as graduate transfer Olivia Myers (Belmont, Ohio) from Western Michigan.
A three-star recruit on Tennisrecruiting.net, Forgaci trained at The Evert Academy. A four-time ITF Grade 4 doubles quarterfinalist, she was a ITF Grade 5 doubles semifinalist. In singles action, Forgaci was a two-time ITF Grade 5 quarterfinalist. She is ranked No. 33 in Florida, No. 74 in the Southeast, and No. 235 nationally. As a student at the K12 International Academy, she was a three-time academic excellence honoree. Forgaci was the recipient of the 2017 Sportsmanship Award from the Evert Academy. She plans to study biomedical engineering."The moment I stepped on campus and met with the team, I knew I wanted to spend the next chapter of my life here," Forgaci said.
"For the past four years, Enya has been a delight to work with," said tennis legend Chris Evert. "Her love and passion for the game were evident every single day she was at the Evert Tennis Academy. She not only has developed a solid all-court game, but her focus and desire are unmatched. Enya is an excellent and supportive team player who encourages and mentors the younger girls. I have no doubt she will bring leadership, spirit, and wisdom to Akron's college tennis team."
"I could not be happier to have Enya joining our family," said Padgett. "I saw something in her two years ago that simply stuck with me, and when I was finally able to speak with her, I just knew she was a perfect fit for our program. Her mentality, work ethic, and unbelievably lovable personality drew me in from the very beginning. Having Chris Evert speak so amazingly highly of Enya's abilities, drive, and character, made this a perfect match. Enya has jumped up the U.S. national rankings an average of about 100 spots each year, for the past three years, and we see that pattern continuing. The fact that we will have the opportunity to train her for one year before she steps onto the court in a competitive match for us is extremely exciting, for both us and her. We all cannot wait to be on court together."
A two-star recruit on Tennisrecruiting.net, Long trained at the Midtown Athletic Club. She is ranked No. 19 in New York, No. 58 in the Mid-Atlantic, and No. 441 nationally. At Hilton High School, Long helped her team to an undefeated regular season and Section 5 Championship as a sophomore in 2015. She was a three-time All-Greater Rochester selection as well as an All-County pick and Section V Class AA champion. The High Honor Roll student intends to study nursing."I chose The University of Akron, because it is a perfect fit for me both athletically and academically," Long said. "I also felt that the tennis team family is something I would love being a part of."
"Holland is an outstanding fit for our team and university," Padgett added. "During her official visit, it became very clear that she was becoming a member of the team right away without any effort, which is exactly what you want to see. The team and Holland gelled together immediately, and it was just a perfect match for her and for us from the very beginning. Holland's natural athleticism is what excites us the most about her game. We feel that she has barely scratched the surface of her true abilities, and we know that she will work extremely hard to reach her full potential as she starts the next chapter of her tennis career. The ceiling is extremely high for this young lady."
A two-time ITF Grade 5 semifinalist, Garcia has 11 ITF singles victories, and 11 ITF doubles victories, and her Pro Circuit record is 1-2 in doubles, including a win over No. 44. She has advanced to the ITF Grade 4 doubles quarterfinals three times and the Grade 5 doubles finals once. In singles action, Garcia has been a Level B3 quarterfinalist and a two-time Grade 4 round of 16 finisher. She plans to study psychology."I chose Akron, because since the first time I talked to Brandon Padgett, he transmitted a confidence and trust to me, even though I don't think that I have the best results," said Garcia, who uses her nickname Ceci. "I know for sure that I fit perfectly in Akron, because it is somewhere that I can push myself harder and harder every day to be a better person. Akron is a really big school for me, that brings me a lot of opportunity to push myself to my greatest level in academics and in my tennis."
"Ceci has a wealth of international experience, having played against, and defeated many outstanding players, including a player that recently played in the U.S. Open Juniors, who is a Top 10 NCAA freshman," Padgett said. "Ceci views her game as consistently needing work, which from a coaching perspective, is exciting to see. She has a desire to constantly get better, and will fit right in with the group we already have here, and the rest of the young ladies we have joining the program. In addition to Ceci's tennis abilities, she is an exceptional young woman with an amazing drive and determination, that I know will make her a force to be reckoned with in the conference and beyond."
A three-star recruit on Tennisrecruiting.net, Steer is the all-time record holder for singles wins (27) in a season at Olentangy Liberty High School. A two-time Ohio state qualifier in doubles action, she was the Division I doubles state runner-up in 2015 as a sophomore en route to first-team All-State honors. The three-time All-Conference honoree was the 2017 Licking County League champion. Named her team's MVP twice, Steer is ranked No. 290 nationally. The National Honor Society student and Scholar-Athlete plans to study biology."I chose Akron for several reasons," said Steer, who goes by her nickname Lexi. "I was impressed with the athletic facilities on campus. Academically, I was impressed with the possibility of their NEOMED program. The coaches also made Akron feel like a place that I could call home and be successful."
"We are excited to have the opportunity to work with Lexi," Padgett said. "She has a strong upside to her game, and we feel that with our style of coaching, and the high quality of players that Lexi will be surrounded by on a daily basis, she will see the rise in her level of play that she is looking for. From a personal standpoint, the coaching staff felt a strong connection right away, and we love the energy and enthusiasm Lexi will bring to our team. Lexi's love for doubles will be a great asset to the team right away."
Transferring to Akron for her final season of eligibility is Myers. A four-star recruit out of the Pennsylvania Tennis Academy on Tennisrecruiting.net, she was ranked No. 2 in Ohio and No. 48 nationally in 2014. The four-year National Honor Society student studied at the Ohio Virtual Academy (no tennis program). While at Western Michigan, Myers was a second-team All-Mid-American selection as a freshman in 2014, the first freshman to win All-MAC honors. She always played No. 1 or No. 2 singles for the Broncos. An Academic All-MAC honoree who is completing a bachelor's degree in exercise science at WMU, Myers intends to pursue a master's degree in exercise science at Akron."I am really excited for this opportunity to be coached by such great coaches and be a part of such an awesome and talented team," Myers said. "I can't wait to continue to compete in the Mid-American Conference and have a great final season! I am also really looking forward to being much closer to my hometown. I truly love the University of Akron and I am glad to have found my second home"
"Olivia coming to Akron is something that I truly feel was meant to be," Padgett said. "There are moments in your life where people are put in front of you for whatever reason, and I feel like this is one of those moments for me, and for Olivia. I think that she has what I would call, unfinished business, to take care of, both athletically and personally, and myself, our coaching staff, and this amazing group of young women on our team, are all going to help her get through all of that unfinished business. As an opposing coach, it's always difficult to truly understand who someone really is, or what they are about. Our coaching staff does as good a job as any, I feel, of embracing opposing team's players. That being said, I still hadn't really gotten to know Olivia much at all in the three years we played against her. I've had the chance to get to know Olivia during the recruiting process this summer and fall, and I could not be happier that I get to coach her during her final year of college tennis. I will do all that I can to make sure that Olivia competes at her highest level ever, has the most successful season ever, and has the experience both on and off the tennis court that she deserves."
Akron opens the spring schedule with four road matches– at Detroit Mercy (Jan. 19), Pitt (Jan. 20), St. Bonaventure (Jan. 26), and Niagara (Jan. 26). UA returns home to host Wright State in its home opener on Jan. 28.
2018 Akron Women's Tennis Signing Class
| Name | Elig. | Ht. | Hometown | High School | Previous School |
| Enya Forgaci | Fr. | 5-4 | Boca Raton, Fla. | K12 International Academy | Evert Tennis Academy |
| Holland Long | Fr. | 5-4 | Rochester, N.Y. | Hilton HS |
| Olivia Myers | Gr. | 5-9 | Belmont, Ohio | Pennsylvania Tennis Academy | Western Michigan |
| Claudia Cecilia Rosas Garcia | Fr. | 5-2 | Gaudalajara, Mexico | Gonzalez Ortega 225 |
| Alexis Steer | Fr. | 5-4 | Powell, Ohio | Olentangy Liberty HS |
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