Four Ducks Land on ITA Academic List

EUGENE, Ore. – In recognition of their performance in the classroom, four members of the University of Oregon men's tennis team have earned spots on the 2021 ITA Scholar-Athlete list. The UO selections are Jesper Klöv-Nilsson, Ryoma Matsushita, Luke Vandecasteele and Quinn Vandecasteele.
 
Among the qualifying criteria, student-athletes had to carry a grade-point average (GPA) of 3.5 or higher for the 2020-21 academic year.
 
Klöv-Nilsson, a repeat ITA academic performer, led the team with a 18-3 record in singles play. He began the 2021 dual season on an eight-match winning streak, and won five of his last six decisions of the year. Klöv-Nilsson, playing primarily alongside senior Emmanuel Coste, was 13-10 in doubles play in 2021.
 
Matsushita posted an 8-2 record in his first season with the Ducks. He collected his first-career victory in a 6-1, 6-4 triumph over Dominik Jakovljevic of BYU (Jan. 31). That result started a five-match win streak for Matsushita. He teamed with Brandon Lam for four wins in doubles play including a pair of victories in Pac-12 play against USC and Utah.
 
Luke Vandecasteele recorded 18 wins during his 2021 campaign, nine apiece in singles and doubles play. Among the season highlights, Vandecasteele clinched the team's 4-3 win over Washington (Feb. 21) with a three-set victory at No. 6 singles. The Midvale, Utah, native also, tallied two conference wins against Utah, the second of which came in consolation play of the Pac-12 Tournament.
 
Quinn Vandecasteele posted a 13-9 record in singles play for the Ducks including a straight-set win over No. 57 Zhe Zhou of Alabama in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The UO freshman occupied the No. 3 spot in 21 of 23 appearance for the Ducks. In doubles play, he and Joshua Charlton notched a 10-3 record and were No. 38 in the year-end national rankings.
 
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