SAN DIEGO – San Diego men's tennis strengthened its roster with the addition of two talented incoming freshmen, Ilias Zimmermann and Blake Kasday, head coach Ryan Keckley announced. Zimmerman and Kasday will join the Toreros starting in the fall of 2020.
 
Zimmermann is currently the top-ranked tennis player in Switzerland in his age group, and has enjoyed consistent success on the amateur circuit in his native country. The 2019 season saw him win the Swiss Junior Summer Championship on top of other tournament victories at the Leuholz Ostern Men's Open and the Grade 5 ITF tournament in Horgen, Switzerland. In the most current rankings, Zimmermann sits at #37 in the overall Swiss men's tennis group, boasting an UTR ranking of 12.97.
 
"When I first saw Ilias compete in Europe this past summer, I was extremely impressed with how natural tennis came for him," said Keckley. "Not only is he an exceptional athlete, but he loved the moment and the crowd. He is an extremely gifted tennis player with a very high ceiling. After meeting his family and having him on campus in October, we knew right away he was the right fit for this program. We are so excited to welcome him to the Torero family and know that big things are in store for this scholar-athlete during his time at USD."
 
Alongside Zimmerman in the Toreros' signing class of 2020 is Kasday, a Las Vegas native and five-star recruit according to the 2020 Tennis Recruiting Rankings. Kasday, who attended No Quit Tennis Academy, has showcased a strong doubles background.
             
The two-time Nevada state doubles champion placed as a finalist in the 2019 USTA National Indoor Championships, and won the doubles segment of the 2019 USTA National Indoor Championships, USTA National Level 2 Championships, and USTA National Doubles Championship. Kasday also had victories in the 2018 USTA Intermountain Level 3 Closed Fall and Summer Championships. 
             
"During the recruiting process with Blake, there were a few things that stood out immediately," added Keckley. "The first was his love for the game and how advanced his tennis IQ was on court, especially when he was playing doubles. The second was who he is as a person. He is a young man of substance and character who values the classroom as much as the tennis court. After spending time with the team on his official visit, we knew he was another perfect fit for this group.  He is a wonderful addition to this program who I expect great things from during his four years in San Diego."
             
A six-time Sportsmanship Award winner, Kasday is currently ranked 44th in the class of 2020 according to Tennis Recruiting, and third in the USTA Doubles Boys 18 Rankings. His UTR rating is 12.25.
 
Zimmermann and Kasday join a Toreros squad that is set to return seven letterwinners.