Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboys Round Out Incoming Class With Talented Quartet
August 24, 2021 | Cowboy Tennis
STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State's men's tennis team has signed a Division I transfer and three prep standouts it was announced today by Cowboy head coach Dustin Taylor.
Joseph Chen, a Baylor transfer, is joined by incoming freshmen Nicolas Pesoli, Francisco Pini and Sammr Raina. The quartet compliments an incoming group of transfers which includes Leighton Allen, Alex Garcia, Maxim Verboven and Tyler Zink.
Chen comes to Stillwater after spending the previous two years at Baylor. After missing the 2020 campaign due to injury, Chen posted a 3-0 mark in singles action and a 1-0 doubles record this past year for the Bears.
A native of Taipei, Taiwan, Chen was a doubles semifinalist at the BNP Paribas Open Junior and finished third at the OPI Cup Nationals in the U18 division. Additionally, he won the singles championship at the Tainan City Boys High School division.
"Joseph comes to Stillwater with a tremendous amount of upside and excitement for the game as well as a willingness to get better every day, which really excites you as a coach. He has proven to have the ability to play among the best players at every level that he's set his sights on and we will be looking for him to do just that for the Cowboys," Taylor said.
A native of Austin, Texas, Pesoli carries a five-star rating and has been ranked in the top 40 in his class since 2018. The Westwood High School product is currently ranked fourth in his class in Texas. In 2020, he secured the state title for Westwood with a straight-set singles victory.
This past year, Pesoli posted an 11-3 mark overall and went 3-0 in matches against fellow five-star recruits.
Pini, who hails from Argentina, is currently ranked No. 12 by Universal Tennis and was invited this past February to play in the Brasil Juniors Cup. He represented his home country at the U14 World Cup and won the Copa Argentina Sub 16 in 2018, marking one of his five tournament victories that season.
Raina qualified for the St. Stephen's School Super Series Tennis Tournament in 2019 and currently carries an 11.8 rating from Universal Tennis. The Delhi, India native represented his home country in 2017 at the Asian School Games Championships.
In addition to carrying a No. 1 state ranking in Delhi, Raina also appears in the top 20 in India. He is a four-time gold medalist at the Delhi State School Games Championship.
"Nic, Francisco, and Sammr bring the youth, energy, and excitement to the Cowboys that you look for from an incoming class. All three of them have had proven success throughout their junior careers and will add great value to the program, both on and off the court," Taylor said.
Joseph Chen, a Baylor transfer, is joined by incoming freshmen Nicolas Pesoli, Francisco Pini and Sammr Raina. The quartet compliments an incoming group of transfers which includes Leighton Allen, Alex Garcia, Maxim Verboven and Tyler Zink.
Chen comes to Stillwater after spending the previous two years at Baylor. After missing the 2020 campaign due to injury, Chen posted a 3-0 mark in singles action and a 1-0 doubles record this past year for the Bears.
A native of Taipei, Taiwan, Chen was a doubles semifinalist at the BNP Paribas Open Junior and finished third at the OPI Cup Nationals in the U18 division. Additionally, he won the singles championship at the Tainan City Boys High School division.
"Joseph comes to Stillwater with a tremendous amount of upside and excitement for the game as well as a willingness to get better every day, which really excites you as a coach. He has proven to have the ability to play among the best players at every level that he's set his sights on and we will be looking for him to do just that for the Cowboys," Taylor said.
A native of Austin, Texas, Pesoli carries a five-star rating and has been ranked in the top 40 in his class since 2018. The Westwood High School product is currently ranked fourth in his class in Texas. In 2020, he secured the state title for Westwood with a straight-set singles victory.
This past year, Pesoli posted an 11-3 mark overall and went 3-0 in matches against fellow five-star recruits.
Pini, who hails from Argentina, is currently ranked No. 12 by Universal Tennis and was invited this past February to play in the Brasil Juniors Cup. He represented his home country at the U14 World Cup and won the Copa Argentina Sub 16 in 2018, marking one of his five tournament victories that season.
Raina qualified for the St. Stephen's School Super Series Tennis Tournament in 2019 and currently carries an 11.8 rating from Universal Tennis. The Delhi, India native represented his home country in 2017 at the Asian School Games Championships.
In addition to carrying a No. 1 state ranking in Delhi, Raina also appears in the top 20 in India. He is a four-time gold medalist at the Delhi State School Games Championship.
"Nic, Francisco, and Sammr bring the youth, energy, and excitement to the Cowboys that you look for from an incoming class. All three of them have had proven success throughout their junior careers and will add great value to the program, both on and off the court," Taylor said.
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