Trojans Hit Career Highs In National Rankings

As the USC men's tennis team gets ready to open up fall competition in a couple weeks, a handful of Trojans are already out of the gates with the best starts of their careers. The Oracle ITA national singles and doubles preseason rankings were unveiled today (Sept. 11), with five Trojans standing tall with their highest — or first — national rankings.

Junior Brandon Holt leads the pack once again, upgrading his national singles status to a career-best No. 4 in the land. In doubles, he and fellow junior Riley Smith have climbed the ladder to sit at No. 2 in the nation — a new high for that All-American duo. Just barely a step behind that junior tandem is another All-American duo in seniors Jack Jaede and Laurens Verboven, who loom large at No. 3 in these opening rankings of 2018-19. Previous career bests had been No. 8 in singles for Holt, No. 6 in doubles for Holt/Smith and No. 7 for Jaede/Verboven. Verboven, too, has made his career debut in the singles rankings, lodged at No. 104 as he enters his senior season.

Another Trojan enjoying a rankings upgrade is sophomore Daniel Cukierman, who has trimmed over 30 spots off his freshman high of No. 63 in singles to claim a place at No. 31 in the nation as he enters his sophomore campaign. Cukierman also enjoys the first national doubles ranking of his young Trojan career, paired up with redshirt senior Tanner Smith at No. 40 in the nation in doubles. It's the first-ever national ranking for Smith.

Along with those three ranked USC doubles teams, there are five Trojans ranked in singles. Behind No. 4 Holt, No. 31 Cukierman and No. 81 Verboven — all boasting their highest career singles ranks — are a couple other regulars in the singles rankings. Senior Logan Smith weighs in at No. 104 in the nation, with fellow senior Jaede at No. 125 to start up 2018-19.

TROJAN PRESEASON RANKINGS (Sept. 11, 2018)

SINGLES

#4 Brandon Holt*

#31 Daniel Cukierman*

#81 Laurens Verboven*

#104 Logan Smith

#125 Jack Jaede

DOUBLES

#2 Brandon Holt* / Riley Smith*

#4 Jack Jaede* / Laurens Verboven*

#40 Daniel Cukierman* / Tanner Smith*

* — career-best national ranking