April 19, 2013
THE FLATS – Will Showers of Duluth, Ga., ranked No. 24 nationally by TennisRecruiting.net, and Cole Fiegel of Alachua, Fla., who has been ranked as high at No. 59 nationally, have signed letters-of-intent to play tennis at Georgia Tech, head coach Kenny Thorne announced Friday.
Showers and Fiegel are strong additions to the Tech recruiting class, already ranked 22nd nationally by TennisRecruiting.net. The class also includes Carlos Benito of Madrid, Spain, who signed with Tech in the fall. They join a Tech team that has seven underclassmen who have helped transition the program into a new era with the building of the Ken Byers Tennis Complex on the Tech campus.
“We have a big vision for our program, and the Byers Tennis Complex is a great boost for our recruiting,” said Thorne. “We are extremely excited about Will and Cole and we feel this is just the beginning. We aren’t finished recruiting for this season. We are building something special that is very exciting.”
Showers, who is completing his studies through St. Petersburg College and the Florida Virtual School, plays out of the Tennis Academy of the South. He is ranked 11th in the Southeast and No. 2 in Georgia, having built a 66-15 record over the past year, including an 8-8 mark against other Blue Chip players and a 27-6 record against 5-star players. He is listed No. 6 on the Tennis RPI rankings.
“Will is an incredible fit for Georgia Tech and we are very excited about him signing,” said Thorne. “He is currently top 25 in the nation for seniors but he is actually graduating a year early. He would be a top 10 recruit for his recruiting class but we are excited that he can come in early. He is a great competitor and simply knows how to win. He will be a tough out. He does very well academically and he will be a great representative of Georgia Tech on and off the court.”
Among Showers’ tournament highlights are reaching the round of 16 of main draw at the USTA Spring Nationals in March 2013, winning the USTA Regional National in January 2013 and the USTA Southern Bullfrog in November 2012.
“I feel blessed to have the opportunity to join the Yellow Jackets and attend a great academic institution,” said Showers. “I’d like to thank my mom, brother, and grandparents for all their support and encouragement. I’d also like to thank my coach, Gery Groslimond, for my success in juniors and for preparing me to play at the collegiate level. His coaching on and off of the court has meant a lot and has helped me grow as a person.”
Fiegel, who attends Gainesville High School in Florida, has a three-star rating and was ranked as high as No. 81 earlier this year, according to TennisRecruiting.net, but injuries have limited his playing opportunities. Despite that, he is undefeated over the past year against players at his level and below, won the Deerfield Fall Super Series and reached the semifinals of another Super Series event in Gainesville before retiring due to illness.
“Cole is a very strong and athletic player who unfortunately was injured this past season,” said Thorne. “He was beating the top players in Florida before having a shoulder injury. He has recovered and is on his way back up. He is a big lefty with a very athletic frame. He does great in the classroom and will represent Georgia Tech extremely well. Watch this guy. We know he will excel in our program with his work ethic on the court and in the classroom.”
Fiegel is a member of the Cambridge Program, a college preparatory program at Gainesville High School, and is a member of the National Honor Society.
“Signing at Georgia Tech is truly a dream come true,” Fiegel said. “Few schools match what Tech has to offer both academically and athletically. As an incoming student-athlete, I look forward to working with my coaches and teammates, striving to become one of the best collegiate teams in the nation.”
