University Southern California Trojans
USC Men's Tennis Signs International Standout and Blue-Chip Recruit
November 08, 2023 | Men's Tennis
The Trojans added two new members to the USC program on National Signing Day
LOS ANGELES - USC men's tennis welcomes two new signees to the Trojan program, blue-chip recruit Niels Hoffmann (Newport Beach, Calif.) and international product Volodymyr Iakubenko (Ukraine), head coach Brett Masi announced Wednesday, Nov. 8.
Hoffmann joins the Trojans as he looks to continue to grow his legacy in the SoCal region. The Newport Beach product was the CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) Southern Section champion in 2023, got 6th at the Winter Nationals for boys 18s and was 6th at the Easter Bowl.
"This is a great Southern California product we are getting from Newport Beach. He's been a steady top-ten player in Southern California for many years, then, in the last few years, he's been ranked as high as number one," Masi said. "He was one of the best high school students as well, and he won the CIF as a junior in singles competition. Then, recently, in his progression, he's been one of the top 15 players in the country. We are just really excited to be getting a great local standout in Niels, and he's got a great family as well. The whole family is big in collegiate tennis, and we are just super excited and pumped for him to be a part of the Trojan family."
"I've wanted to join the USC family due to the amazing coaching staff and world-class program that they offer," Hoffmann said. "I look forward to being a Trojan!"
Iakubenko joins the program as yet another example of the Trojans' global approach to recruiting. The Ukrainian joins the tennis squad as the 81st-ranked junior in the world. Iakubenko even peaked at one point as the No. 52 ranked junior. Other achievements include winning the 2022 J4 Budapest Tournament title.
"This kid is all about tennis and all about making this place better than it already is. He's hungry and dedicated to what it takes to be a Trojan and make us better," Masi said. "Over the last four months, he's played some really great tennis and beaten some players that are in the top 400 in the world (ATP), gotten some ATP points himself, and gotten to the finals of a doubles event recently (ITF Future Event). We're really excited for him to be joining us, and he has family here in L.A., and he's excited about being here in L.A. and Southern California and being a Trojan."
Iakubenko will immediately impact the Trojans, as he is set to join them in the spring of 2024, and Hoffman will join the squad in the fall of 2024.
"Kudos to our great staff assistant coach Eric Johnson (E.J.) and assistant coach Bryce Pereira for helping make this possible and looking forward to seeing these guys on campus. Both of them will be major impact players."
Hoffmann joins the Trojans as he looks to continue to grow his legacy in the SoCal region. The Newport Beach product was the CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) Southern Section champion in 2023, got 6th at the Winter Nationals for boys 18s and was 6th at the Easter Bowl.
"This is a great Southern California product we are getting from Newport Beach. He's been a steady top-ten player in Southern California for many years, then, in the last few years, he's been ranked as high as number one," Masi said. "He was one of the best high school students as well, and he won the CIF as a junior in singles competition. Then, recently, in his progression, he's been one of the top 15 players in the country. We are just really excited to be getting a great local standout in Niels, and he's got a great family as well. The whole family is big in collegiate tennis, and we are just super excited and pumped for him to be a part of the Trojan family."
"I've wanted to join the USC family due to the amazing coaching staff and world-class program that they offer," Hoffmann said. "I look forward to being a Trojan!"
Iakubenko joins the program as yet another example of the Trojans' global approach to recruiting. The Ukrainian joins the tennis squad as the 81st-ranked junior in the world. Iakubenko even peaked at one point as the No. 52 ranked junior. Other achievements include winning the 2022 J4 Budapest Tournament title.
"This kid is all about tennis and all about making this place better than it already is. He's hungry and dedicated to what it takes to be a Trojan and make us better," Masi said. "Over the last four months, he's played some really great tennis and beaten some players that are in the top 400 in the world (ATP), gotten some ATP points himself, and gotten to the finals of a doubles event recently (ITF Future Event). We're really excited for him to be joining us, and he has family here in L.A., and he's excited about being here in L.A. and Southern California and being a Trojan."
Iakubenko will immediately impact the Trojans, as he is set to join them in the spring of 2024, and Hoffman will join the squad in the fall of 2024.
"Kudos to our great staff assistant coach Eric Johnson (E.J.) and assistant coach Bryce Pereira for helping make this possible and looking forward to seeing these guys on campus. Both of them will be major impact players."
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