May 28, 2003
Los Angeles, Calif. - Loyola Marymount men's tennis coach Nik DeVore has announced the signing of three top prospects for next season. Linas Cicenas from Vilnius, Lithuania, Nicolas Terrien from Nantes, France and Lakewood, Colorado's Matt Phillips have all signed a NCCA National Letter of Intent to become Lions next fall.
"It's going to be next to impossible to replace the guys that we lost after this past season," DeVore said. "We lose our top four players from a team that has gone 35-16 over the past two years. I am, however, very excited about our new players for the upcoming season and with the direction our program is going. We will have a very young team with five freshman, two sophomores and one junior, so it is going to take a lot of hard work. With the addition of these three guys and the return of Beau Berglund, who red-shirted last season, we should be in position to challenge for the West Coast Conference title next spring."
Cicenas was a national champion in Lithuania before moving to England to study at the prestigious Sevenoaks Academy. While at Sevenoaks, Cicenas captained the team to the National Schools Championship. Cicenas is considered to be one of the best high school players in all of England.
"Linas is a big strong kid who is capable of hitting people off of the court from either side," DeVore said. "His serve is an absolute bullet, and he possesses a very good transition game, which makes him a formidable doubles player as well. He has spent most of his time studying the past year and a half, so a lot of schools overlooked him. We are very fortunate to have him as a member of our team this year."
Terrien is one of the top junior players in France. In 2001, he made the quarterfinal of the French Championships.
"Nicolas is an unbelievably talented kid who possesses great hands, quickness and versatility around the court," DeVore said. "He likes to play a very aggressive baseline game, but he has the skills necessary to be a great all-court player. Nicolas could prove to be one of the best players in the WCC next year, and should challenge for the top few spots on our team."
Phillips has been one of the best players in the Intermountain Section for the past several years. He was ranked second as a 16 year old, and is currently ranked second in the 18-year old division. Phillips has also been a finalist at the Colorado State High School Championships in singles, and has been ranked as high as No. 30 nationally in doubles.
"Matt is a very good transitional player who possesses a big forehand and strong net game," DeVore said. "We are counting on Matt to help strengthen our doubles line-up and to give us some much needed depth in singles. Matt has the type of game that is really going to develop over the course of the college tennis season."
