Elite of College Tennis: The Germans

This week we are highlighting the top 10 German men and women playing college tennis, as rated by the UTR system. The men’s top 10 is comprised of five juniors, four sophomores, and one senior. The women’s top 10 is comprised of five juniors, two seniors, two sophomores, and one freshman. I did a profile on three men and three women and listed their accomplishments to show you why each belongs in the UTR top 10. Men

1. Constantin Schmitz (Tulane University)

For the second year in a row a Tulane Green Wave occupies the top spot in the men’s top 10. Dominik Koepfer was No. 1 last year but he graduated so Constantin Schmitz has replaced him at the top spot in the singles lineup and in these ratings. The junior from Remagen was a solid 28-7 in singles last year while going 19-3 in dual-match play. This past fall Schmitz finished as the runner-up at the ITA Southern Regional while also beating a pair of ranked opponents at the Alabama-Four-in-the-Fall Tournament. Schmitz has won 12 of his first 13 dual-matches this season while starting all of them at No. 1. Schmitz is currently ranked No. 18 in the latest ITA singles rankings.

3. Lucas Gerch (Oklahoma State University)

The senior from Berlin is coming off a solid junior season in which he was named All-Big 12 in both singles and doubles. Gerch has also excelled in the classroom and last season he was named the Big 12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year while also being named an ITA Scholar-Athlete. Gerch entered his senior season at No. 10 on Oklahoma State’s all-time singles wins list and so far this season he has won another 15 matches which has moved him up to No. 5. Gerch is currently 12-1 in dual-match play, while splitting time between No. 2 and No. 3, with all but two of those wins coming in straight sets.

8. Oliver Frank (Azusa Pacific University)

The sophomore from Neumarkt began his collegiate tennis career by winning his first 10 matches. The first five won him the ITA Division II West Regional Championship which qualified him to compete at the ITA Oracle Cup. Frank proceeded to win the Division II Oracle Cup by defeating three top 15 opponents then he won the All-Division Oracle Cup by defeating the top ranked player at the NAIA and JUCO levels. Frank was the only non-Division I participant at the National Indoor Intercollegiates which is the top indoor event on the fall calendar. Frank is currently 12-0 in dual-match play and he is the top ranked player in the latest ITA Division II singles rankings.

Women

1. Lena Ruppert (Oklahoma State University)

The freshman from Weiden began her collegiate career in September and promptly won her first five matches including all three at the inaugural Hall of Fame/ITA Grass Court Invitational. Ruppert finished off the fall by going 3-0 at the SMU Red and Blue Challenge and then she picked up a ranked win in January at the National Collegiate Tennis Classic. Ruppert has started in 14 of Oklahoma State’s 17 dual-matches so far this spring while splitting time at No. 5 and No. 6 in the lineup. Ruppert has a 9-2 dual-match record with all nine wins coming in straight sets.

2. Lena Lutzeier (Armstrong State University)

The junior from Blaustein has been a force at the top of the ASU lineup for the last three years. Lutzeier is a two-time ITA All-American in singles and doubles and is the reigning Peach Belt Conference Player of the Year. In her first two seasons, Lutzeier was an awe-inspiring 54-4 in singles while also going 74-6 in doubles. This past fall Lutzeier won the ITA Division II Southeast Regional Championship which earned her a berth into the coveted ITA Oracle Cup. Lutzeier’s dual-match dominance has continued this year as she is currently 17-1 in singles and 18-1 in doubles. Lutzeier is currently ranked No. 5 in singles and No. 3 in doubles in the latest ITA Division II singles and doubles rankings.

10. Sophia Geier (University of Akron)

The junior from Burgebrach began her collegiate career near the bottom of the singles lineup but now she has became a mainstay at the top with wins becoming the norm. Geier went 27-10 in singles last season including 19-7 in dual-match play while splitting time between No. 1 and No. 2. This past fall Geier won her first seven matches and went undefeated at both the Akron Shootout and the Cleveland State Viking Invitational. Geier dropped her dual-match opener against Northwestern but since then she has won 17 straight matches, all at No. 1, while only dropping one set. There is a pretty big gap between No. 1 and No. 2 in the men’s ratings so the question is will someone else rise to the occasion and challenge Constantin Schmitz for the top spot next year?

About UTR The Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) system provides tennis players worldwide a common scale to determine their level of play. The 16-level scale (from beginners to elite world-class professionals), precisely and reliably determines individual players’ ratings based on actual match results without regard for age, gender or where the matches are played. The Universal Tennis website allows visitors to view more than three million tennis results. College tennis coaches utilize UTR ratings for recruiting, for scouting opponents, and also to track the levels of their current players. The Intercollegiate Tennis Association(ITA) currently uses UTR ratings to assist with selections and seedings for select regional and national events. A UTR subscription is required to search and view player ratings on the UTR system, with pricing starting at forever free for UTR Basic. The UTR Premium Plus allows subscribers access to search and view college team profiles.

1. Constantin Schmitz (Jr) Tulane University
2. Timo Stodder (So) University of Tennessee
3. Lucas Gerch (Sr) Oklahoma State University
4. Christian Seraphim (Jr) Wake Forest University
5. Niclas Braun (So) Mississippi State University
6. Fabian Fallert (So) University of Mississippi
7. Lukas Finzelberg (Jr) Oklahoma State University
8. Oliver Frank (So) Azusa Pacific University
9. Michael Weindl (Jr) Old Dominion University
10. Kai Lemke (Jr) University of Memphis

1. Lena Ruppert (Fr) Oklahoma State University
2. Lena Lutzeier (So) Armstrong State University
3. Vivienne Kulicke (Jr) UTEP
4. Derja Turhan (Sr) Marshall University
5. Julia Mikulski (So) Florida State University
6. Sonja Larsen (Jr) Barry University
7. Grace Mpassy-Zoumba (Jr) Lynn University
8. Kristin Rehse (Jr) Georgia State University
9. Janina Braun (So) Virginia Commonwealth University
10. Sophia Geier (Jr) University of Akron

Feature photo: Constantin Schmitz of Tulane University