SAN DIEGO — In a battle between the two best non-power five teams in men's college tennis, the sixth-ranked San Diego Toreros will host the seventh-ranked Columbia Lions at noon Monday at the Hogan Tennis Center.  

The game will be streamed live on the Cracked Racquets YouTube with college tennis personality Alex Gruskin (X: @AlGruskin) calling the action. Inside coverage can also be found on the @USDMtennis (X) and @usd_tennis (IG) social channels.

HISTORY VS. THE LIONS

• This will be the second ever meeting between the two teams, first in over 38 years, the only other meeting being a 6-3 Torero loss on March 12, 1987

THE ITA INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

DOUBLES

- #2 Stian Klaassen/Oliver Tarvet (San Diego

- #20 Hugo Hashimoto/Michael Zheng (Columbia)

- #36 Nicolas Kotzen/Michael Zheng (Columbua)

- #78 Iiro Vasa/Stian Klaassen (San Diego)

- #83 Nicolas Kotzen/Max Westphal (Columbia)

SINGLES

- #1 Michael Zheng (Columbia)

- #8 Oliver Tarvet (San Diego)

- #30 Nicolas Kotzen (Columbia)

- #51 Hugo Hashimoto (Columbia)

- #52 Savriyan Danilov (San Diego)

- #114 Stian Klaassen (San Diego) 

BEST TEAM RANKING IN PROGRAM HISTORY

• Currently ranked No. 6 nationally, the Toreros continue to reset the program-best ranking, which was No. 12 prior to the season ... The Toreros have since been ranked No. 10, No. 9 and No. 7

DOMINATING CONFERENCE HONORS ... AGAIN

• Toreros have won six WCC Player of the Week and WCC Doubles Team of the Week in just eight weeks of voting so far this season – three different doubles pairings in addition to Oliver Tarvet twice in singles and Iiro Vasa once, last week, after his ankle injury

A PROGRAM-BEST START TO THE SPRING

• Prior to a 2-4 loss to the then No. 1 and defending national champion TCU Horned Frogs in the ITA National Team Indoor Championships on Feb. 15, the Toreros had accumulated eight straight wins to start the season (five against top-25 opponents), the best start to a season in team history  

TOP OF THE INDIVIDUAL CHARTS 

• Following a sweep of the ITA All-American Championship titles, Stian Klaassen and Oliver Tarvet found themselves atop the ITA doubles rankings and as the No. 1 overall seed for the NCAA Doubles Championships while Tarvet was ranked second in singles (under No. 1 Michael Zheng)

• The No. 1 doubles rating is the first time a Torero duo has reached the summit of the ITA's rankings ... Tarvet No. 2 allotment in singles tied August Holmgren's program record in 2022, who fell to Ben Shelton in the NCAA Singles Championships title match

TOREROS SWEEP ITA ALL-AMERICAN TITLES

• In the fall's first big tournament, Oliver Tarvet and Stian Klaassen swept the ITA All-American Championship titles handily

• Tarvet became the just the fifth player to win both the singles and doubles title at the season's first big national tournament, the first since 2015

• The pair were the first All-Americans in any NCAA DI Sport nationally this year

A HOT START TO THE FALL

• San Diego Men's Tennis hosted the 67th Annual Men's USTA SoCal Intercollegiate Championships from Sept. 26-29, ending with an all-USD doubles title and Toreros reaching both finals 

• That marks three tournaments, six of six finals reached and three titles to start the Toreros fall tennis season. The toreros also won both titles at the ITA All-American Championships on Sunday and reached both finals of the highly touted Battle in the Bay on Sept. 15

PROGRAM NOTES

QUICK FACTS

• Started playing DI in 1980, 30 NCAA DI Tournament Appearances since

• 12 WCC Team Regular season Championships, 9 of last 10

• Won NCAA DII singles titles 2x, in 1974 & 1975, doubles 3x, in 1974, '75 and '78

• Best Team Final Ranking: #12

• Best Team Ranking: #6 (current)

• 2024 Team Final Ranking: #19, 2nd round NCAAs

• Best Team Finish: 2nd Round (13 times) 

• Total Team NCAA Appearances: 19 

• Total prior Singles Appearances: 23 

• Best Singles Finish: Runner-up, Pierrick Ysern (2005) and August Holmgren (2022) 

• Total prior Doubles Appearances: 7

• Best Doubles Finish: Quarterfinals, Holmgren/Gamerov (2019)

DI ALL-AMERICANS (9 players, 16 times)

• Oliver Tarvet: 2023, 2024

• Oliver Tarvet (Doubles): 2024

• Stian Klaassen (Doubles): 2024

• August Holmgren: 2021, 2022 

• August Holmgren (Doubles): 2019 

• Joel Gamerov (Doubles): 2019 

• Uros Petronijevic: 2016 

• Dean Jackson: 2009 

• Pierrick Ysern: 2005 

• Jose Luis Noriega: 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 

• Scott Lipton:1980

PLAYER NOTES

ADRIEN BERRUT - (Bur-ROO) 

Fr. | 6-0 | Val-d'Illiez, Switzerland | Gymnase de Bienne

This Season - Singles: 6-4 (W2); Doubles: 8-3 (6-1 w/ Niranjan)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• WCC Doubles Team of the Week –Feb. 18, '25

PERSONAL 

• Won a European Championships title in U18 doubles

• Claimed a Swiss National Championships in U18 singles

• Has already won a 15K Pro Doubles title

• Comes to USD ranking 1752 in the world in singles, 1025 in doubles

• Son of Frank and Sophie Berrut, has a sister, Camille

• Is also good at cutting hair and playing soccer, favorite food is Mexican

SAVRIYAN DANILOV - (Sah-vree-on Don-kneel-ov) 

Gr. | 6-2 | Moscow, Russia | 1429

This Season - Singles: 9-3 (W2); Doubles: 7-8 (1-3 w/ Klaassen)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• 2024 All-WCC Honorable Mention

• WCC Singles Player of the Week (April 16, 2024)

SENIOR (2023-24)

• Went 21-8 in singles play at No. 3, 4 & 5 singles, winning 11 of his last 12 and 14 of his last 16

• Had a stretch of seven straight doubles wins with Lambert Ruland and Stian Klaassen

• Won his last six singles matches of the season in straight sets, including four in postseason play

PREVIOUS SCHOOL

• Attended Russian State University Of Physical Education in Moscow, Russia 

• Has a career-high ranking of 43 in ITF juniors 

• Also has ATP career-high rankings of 556 in singles and 658 in doubles

• Won a 15k Futures title in singles and doubles

• Debuted in 2019 on the professional tour at the ATP 250 Kremlin Cup

PERSONAL

• Born in Moscow, Russia to father, Alexey 

• Attended 1429 in Moscow, Russia 

• Had dreams of playing soccer as a child 

• Was ranked No. 9 in Europe U14

BLAKE KASDAY - (Cass-day) 

Gr. | 5-10 | Las Vegas, N.V. | Odyssey Charter

This Season - Singles: 1-1 (L1); Doubles: 2-2 (1-0 w/ Danilov)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• 2024 ITA Southwest Region Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award Winner

SENIOR (2023-24)

• Went 10-5 in doubles play on the year

• Was a perfect 4-0 in doubles during the dual match season, dropping no more than three games in a match

• Played in eight singles matches, twice during dual season

JUNIOR (2022-23)

• Went 3-0 in his singles matches

• Swept his first two matches of the season in straight sets

• Went 2-1 in doubles action

SOPHOMORE (2021-22)

• Registered a 2-2 singles record

• Went a perfect 8-0 in doubles play, including 2-0 in WCC play

FRESHMAN (2020-21)

• Recorded 4-4 singles record 

• Earned first-ever Torero win versus No. 10 USC

• Finished with 4-6 doubles record

HIGH SCHOOL

• Attended Odyssey Charter High School in Las Vegas, Nev.

• Won back-to-back state doubles championships in 2018/2019 with his brother Chase, the first state titles for his city in more than 15 years

• Arthur Ashe Essay Regional Contest winner

• Founder of tennis ball recycling program "Keep the Ball In Play"

• USTA Foundation Donald Lawson Tisdel College Scholarship recipient

PERSONAL

• Son of Bob and Laura Kasday

• Has five siblings: brothers Jordan, Aaron, Chase, and Ronin, and sister Skylar

• Would like to be a college tennis coach one day

• Enjoys board games and watching sports in his free time 

• Notes that he likes to stay competitive in all his hobbies

• "I chose USD because of coach Ryan Keckley's vision and action towards developing excellent people and tennis players"

STIAN KLAASSEN - (STEE-On Clah-sen) 

R-Jr. | 6-2 | Zeist, Netherlands | Crestwood Prepatory College

This Season - Singles: 8-3 (W5); Doubles: 10-4 (7-2 w/ Tarvet)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• 2024 ITA All-American Championships Doubles Title Winner (w/ Oliver Tarvet)

• 2024 ITA All-American (Doubles)

• Spring 024 NCAA Doubles Championship Qualifier (Rd. 16 w/ Oliver Tarvet)

• Fall 2024 NCAA Doubles Championship Qualifier (Rd. 32 w/ Sacchitt Sharrma)

• 2024 First Team All-WCC (Doubles)

• 2024 Second Team All-WCC (Singles)

• 2024 WCC All-Academic Honorable Mention

• 2023 All-WCC Honorable Mention (Singles)

• 2023 All-WCC Honorable Mention (Doubles)

• WCC Singles Player of the Week - March 12, '24

• WCC Doubles Team of the Week - Jan. 24, '23; March 5, '24; March 12, '24; Jan. 28, '25

JUNIOR (2023-24)

• Went 22-3 in overall singles competition on the season; a perfect 19-0 in dual match play, 16 of which were won in straight sets

• Was 27-7 in doubles action, with a 16-match undefeated streak from Feb. 23 to April 26

• Reached a season-high ITA ranking of No. 15 with Sacchitt Sharrma, qualifying for the NCAA Doubles Championships

• Defeated a top-25 duo from South Florida on a tiebreak to open the season

SOPHOMORE (2022-23)

• Went 18-8 in singles play, including 2-1 against nationally ranked players

• Went 15-9 in doubles play, in addition to a perfect 6-0 in WCC play

• Also won a doubles match during the WCC Tournament semifinals to secure a point in a 4-1 win against Portland.

• Against UCSB in the NCAA Tournament First Round, Klaassen won both his doubles match with Oliver Tarvet and his singles match in the third set

FRESHMAN (2021-22)

• Used redshirt option

PERSONAL

• Son of Frans and Kristine Klaassen

• Was the U16 Dutch National Champion in Singles and Doubles

• Achieved a career-high ITF Junior ranking of No. 179

• Mother, Kristine, played DI college basketball at DePaul

• Enjoys going bowling and to the beach with friends

• Favorite musical artist is Drake

• Is half Dutch and half Norwegian

NEO NIEDNER - (NEED-nurr) 

Jr. | 5-11 | Frankfurt, Germany | Privatgymnasium Schwetzingen

This Season - Singles: 7-4 (W3); Doubles: 3-0 (3-0 at home)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• 2024 WCC All-Academic Honorable Mention

• WCC Doubles Team of the Week – March 4, '25

SOPHOMORE (2023-24)

• Went 18-3 in singles competition on the season, winning 11 of 12 to end the season

• Split his season doubles matches 2-2

• Made a three-win run to the round of 16 of the ITA Southwest Regionals

FRESHMAN (2022-23)

• Went 13-11 in singles play, in addition to a 5-1 record during WCC play ... Also went 10-6 in the No. 6 singles match position

• Went 3-4 in doubles action

PERSONAL

• Came to San Diego with a No. 4 German junior ranking, No. 60 in the German men's ranking and No. 58 in the ITF Junior ranking

• U18 German National Champion in 2021

• Represented Germany in the European Championship U16 in 2019

• Won three ITF junior doubles titles, including a G1 in Paraguay

• Participated in Junior US Open in 2021

• Son of Nils and Xiaobo Cao Niedner

• Favorite tennis memory is his clinch in his first career dual match in a 4-3 win over No. 23 Texas A&M (Jan. 18, 2023) and against

NIKHIL NIRANJAN - (Nick-kill Near-ran-jan) 

R-Jr. | 6-1 | Thousand Oaks, Calif. | Inventure Academy

This Season - Singles: 0-2 (L2); Doubles: 7-1 (W7, 6-1 w/ Berrut)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• WCC Doubles Team of the Week – Feb. 18, '25

JUNIOR (2023-24)

• Went an undefeated 7-0 during the dual match season (5-0 at No. 3 doubles, 2-0 at No. 6 Singles)

• Was an overall 15-3 in doubles competition on the single

• Went 11-4 in singles play on the year

• Combined with four different teammates for the five dual doubles wins

• Won both dual singles matches in straight sets, dropping six total game in four sets

SOPHOMORE (2022-23)

• Went 6-6 in singles play, in addition to going 2-0 in conference play Also went 2-0 from the No. 6 position.

• Went 1-4 in doubles play as the lone win came during a dual match.

FRESHMAN (2021-22)

• Went 2-1 overall in singles play, all in fall non-dual tournaments

• Registered a 2-2 record in doubles, all in fall tournaments

• Used Redshirt option during dual season

PERSONAL

• ITF Junior Grade 5 Dehradun Singles Champion

• ITF Junior Grade 5 Dehradun Doubles Champion

• U16 India National Doubles Champion

• Career-high ITF Junior Rankings: World No. 215 

• Was No. 2 in India in Under-12, top-10 in India in Under-14 and Under-16

• Originally from Bangalore, India

• Son of Thirumale and Vyjayanthimala

• Favorite things to do in San Diego is going to Pacific Beach, eating at different restaurants, and enjoying the sunsets and beautiful weather

LAMBERT RULAND - (Roo-Lahnd) 

Jr. | 6-0 | Arnsberg, Germany | Berufskolleg am Eicholz

This Season - Injured

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• 2024 Second Team All-WCC (Singles)

• 2024 WCC All-Academic Honorable Mention

• WCC Singles Player of the Week - Feb. 13, '24; Feb. 20, '24

SOPHOMORE (2023-24)

• Went 14-13 on the year, playing at the 1-3 spot throughout the dual match season

• Was 15-9 in doubles competition overall

• Collected multiple ranked wins in singles on the year

• In the fall, combined with Iiro Vasa to top Baylor's 48th-ranked duo 

FRESHMAN (2022-23)

• Went 8-3 in singles play, including 3-0 in dual matches and 1-0 in WCC play

• In doubles play, Ruland went 14-12, including 4-1 during conference play. 

• Took home the final point during singles play of USD's opening round NCAA Tournament match against UCSB, despite losing the first set

PERSONAL

• Won his first ATP Point in October 2021 and also has an A4 Prize Money Tournament title in Germany

• Career-high ATP ranking of 1379

• Son of Ulrike and Ortwin Ruland

• Nickname is "Lambo"

• Favorite musical artist is Makko

• Would play handball if he didn't play tennis

OLIVER TARVET - (Tar-vit) 

Jr. | 6-0 | St. Albans, England | The Marlborough Science Academy

This Season - Singles: 10-1 (L1, ret. inj. vs. Colton Smith); Doubles: 8-2 (7-2 w/ Klaassen)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• 2024 ITA Singles All-American Championships Title Winner

• 2024 ITA Doubles All-American Championships Title Winner (w/ Stian Klaassen)

• 2024 ITA All-American (Fall, Singles & Doubles)

• 2024 ITA All-American (Spring, Singles) 

• Fall 2024 NCAA Doubles Championships Qualifier (1st overall seed, Rd. 16 w/ Stian Klaassen)

• Fall 2024 NCAA Singles Championships Qualifier (Rd. 64)

• Spring 2024 NCAA Singles Championships Qualifier (Rd. 32)

• 2024 WCC Player of the Year

• 2024 First Team All-WCC (Single & Doubles)

• 2023 WCC Freshman of the Year

• 2023 All-WCC First Team (Singles)

• 2023 All-WCC Honorable Mention (Doubles)

• 2023 ITA Southwest Region Rookie of the Year

• 2024 ITA Southwest Region Player to Watch

• 2024 WCC All-Academic Honorable Mention

• WCC Singles Player of the Week - Jan. 24, '23; Mar. 14, '23; Apr. 25, '23; Jan. 30, '24; Feb. 6, '24; March 19, '24; April 2, '24; Jan. 28 '25; Feb. 18, '25

• WCC Doubles Team of the Week - Feb. 6, '24; Feb. 13, '24; Feb. 20, '24; March 5, '24, March 12, '24; Jan. 28, '25

SOPHOMORE (2023-24)

• Was ranked inside the ITA top-10 for singles the entire dual season, reaching as high as No. 3

• Compiled a 26-10 record in singles, 14-5 against ITA ranked opponents, 3-0 against top-10 ranked opposition

• Went 23-2 overall in doubles, dropping just one of 22 doubles matches during the dual season, on a tie-break ... surrendered four-plus games in just nine of those 25 finished doubles matches

FRESHMAN (2022-23)

• Went 18-8 in singles play, in addition to 6-1 in WCC play ... Went a combined 11-3 from the No. 2 and 3 positions

• In doubles action, Tarvet went 12-10, in addition to a perfect 5-0 record during conference action ... Went a combined 3-0 from the No. 1 and 3 positions

• Against UCSB to begin the NCAA Tournament, Tarvet won both a singles match and a doubles match

PERSONAL

• As of March 2025, has 4 professional titles and a career high ATP singles ranking of 625

• ITF Junior ranking high of 341

• Ranked No. 8 Top College Tennis Newcomer by the ITA

• Son of Garry and Jennifer, has a sister, Joanna

• Enjoys going to La Jolla Beach to snorkel

• Can deadlift 500 lbs

IIRO VASA - (E-Ro Vah-Sah) 

Jr. | 6-0 | St. Albans, England | The Marlborough Science Academy

This Season - Singles: 7-4 (W3, WD inj.); Doubles: 5-8 (1-0 w/ Tarvet)

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• 2022 WCC Freshman of the Year

• 2024 First Team All-WCC (Doubles)

• 2023 First Team All-WCC First Team (Singles & Doubles)

• 2024 Second Team All-WCC (Singles)

• 2022 All-WCC Honorable Mention (Singles)

• 2022 All-WCC Honorable Mention (Doubles)

• 2024 WCC All-Academic Team

• 2023 WCC All-Academic Team

• WCC Singles Player of the Week - Feb. 7, '23; April 18, '23; March 11, '25

• WCC Doubles Team of the Week - March 4, '23; March 14, '23; April 18, '23; Feb. 6, '24; Feb. 13, '24; Feb. 20, '24; April 9, '24; March 4, '25

JUNIOR (2023-24)

• Went 21-8 in doubles competition, the majority of the time at the No. 1 spot, reaching a season-high ranking of No. 23 nationally in the 

• ITA's doubles rankings with Sacchitt Sharrma

• Reached the Round of 16 of the ITA Fall National Championships before having to withdraw to a walkover

• Went 17-14 overall in singles competition on the year, reaching a season-high ITA ranking of No. 27

• Notched a victory over a top-13 opponent in the fall

• Reached the quarterfinal of the ITA Southwest Regional before having to retire in the first set against teammate Oliver Tarvet

SOPHOMORE (2022-23)

• Was ranked as high as No. 54, which came in the May 31, 2023 ITA singles rankings

• Went 15-11 in singles play, including going 5-4 against nationally ranked opponents

• Went 18-11 in doubles play, in addition to going 5-2 in WCC play

• Recorded the team's lone point in the 4-1 loss to No. USC in the second round of the NCAA Tournament .. Vasa, who entered the match ranked No. 84, defeated No. 25 Stefan Dostanic, 6-1, 6-3 in singles action

FRESHMAN (2021-22)

• WCC Freshman of the Year

• All-WCC Honorable Mention in singles

• All-WCC Honorable Mention in doubles

• Went 7-4 overall in singles play, including 2-0 in WCC matches

• Registered a 10-2 doubles record, including 4-1 in conference play

PERSONAL

• As of March 2025: Career-high ATP singles ranking: 838; Caree-high ATP doubles ranking: 524

• Part of the Finnish Davis Cup team

• Also epresented Finland in U-14, 16 and 18 European Championship

• Has an ITF singles and four ITF doubles titles to his name

• ITF Junior career high of 105

• Has two Brothers: Eero Vasa, Pepperdine University (Tennis), Lauri Vasa, West Virginia Wesleyan College (Soccer)

• Favorite cuisine is Thai food

• His spirit animal is a polar bear