University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC Signs Two Top Recruits
November 20, 2008 | Men's Tennis
Nov. 20, 2008
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.--The top two players in North Carolina signed national letters of intent Wednesday to join the UNC men's tennis team in the fall of 2009.
Ryan Noble, of Fayetteville, and William Parker, of Shelby, are currently the first and second ranked players in the state of North Carolina, respectively.
"We're so happy to have these young men from North Carolina," said Head Coach Sam Paul. "They have done an outstanding job in the classroom and on the tennis court."
Noble and Parker's signing comes on the heels of a 2008 recruiting class that tennisrecruiting.net ranked third in the nation. That class consisted of one blue chip five-star recruit and three five-star recruits. In 2006, Paul signed two blue chip five-star players and two five-star players to fill out the second-ranked class in the nation.
Noble and Parker are also ranked in the top 30 nationally for recruits in the class of 2009. Noble is ranked 18th, while Parker is ranked 28th.
"We are impressed by their families, character and their commitment to the team concept," said Paul.
With the fall signing period over, the Tar Heels will now look ahead to the Duke Indoor Invitational as their next scheduled event, and after that, the regular season opener on Jan. 27.
"Everyone is working hard and getting ready for the spring," said Paul.
Ryan Noble
Hometown: Fayetteville, N.C.
Rankings: #18 (nation), #9 (southeast), #1 (N.C.)
Prep Career Highlights:
- reached the singles quarterfinals of the boys' 18's USTA National Clay Courts, lost to future teammate Brennan Boyajian
- reached the doubles finals of the boys' 16's USTA National Championships in Kalamazoo
- reached the singles quarterfinals of the boys' 16's USTA National Championships in Kalamazoo
- reached the singles semifinals of the boys' 18's USTA National Open in Tallahassee twice
- reached the second round of the boys' 18's ITF Easter Bowl
William Parker
Hometown: Shelby, N.C.
Rankings: #28 (nation), #13 (southeast), #2 (N.C.)
Prep Career Highlights:
- singles champion of the ITF Junior Jalisco Cup
- reached the quarterfinals of the boys' 16's Eddie Herr International Championships
- reached the third round of the boys' 18's ITF Easter Bowl
- trained for four years at the Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
Players Mentioned
