UNCW men’s tennis welcomes trio of players including Wilmington’s Marshall Waren

WILMINGTON, NC (UNCW) — The UNCW men’s tennis team has added more talent to a roster that has produced four Colonial Athletic Association championships and five NCAA berths over the last nine seasons.

Gabriel Hocevar (Porto Alegre, Brazil), Sid Donarski (Quebec, Canada) and Marshall Waren (Wilmington, N.C.) will be the new additions to Head Coach Mait DuBois’ roster heading into the 2016-17 season.

The Seahawks closed out the 2015-16 campaign with a 12-9 record, including 7-1 at home, and advanced to the championship match of the CAA Tournament for the sixth time. UNCW finished the season ranked No. 73 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) and senior Santtu Leskinen earned an invitation to compete in the NCAA Singles Championships in Tulsa, Okla.

2016-17 UNCW Men’s Tennis Recruits

Gabriel Hocevar (Porto Alegre, Brazil)
Ranked as high as No. 47 in World Juniors by the ITF…Achieved world rankings in singles (1,219) and doubles (1,009)…Played in Main draw of U.S. Open and Australian Open Junior Events…Won Montes Claros Brazilian Future F12 in Doubles…Chose UNCW over USF, Florida, UNLV and Boise State.

Coach Mait DuBois on Hocevar: “Gabriel is a player with a wealth of International success in the Juniors as well as the Futures Level. He comes from the same part of Brazil as Seahawk great Gustavo Bertei. Gustavo gave him a first-hand account of what it is like to be a member of our team. Gabriel turned down a ton of other offers because he is excited about what we are trying to do here. I know he is passionate about his tennis, his academics and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know him and his family. I couldn’t be more excited to have him join us.”

Hocevar On Choosing UNCW: “I chose UNCW because I really want to help this amazing team to win titles. I really related to Coach DuBois and Coach (Alex) Wetherelll, and look forward to working with them. Together, I know that I can grow as a player and we can grow as a team.  I love being near the beach and being part of a great business school. I am very happy to be able to represent the Seahawks!”

Sid Donarski (Quebec, Canada)
Ranked Top 5 In Canadian Juniors…Ranked in Top 500 ITF Juniors…Recently made Main Draw of Canadian F5 Future…Chose UNCW over Indiana, Texas, Pepperdine and Northwestern.

Coach Mait DuBois On Donarski: “Starting with our first phone call, I was very impressed with Sid. He has a real passion for his development and is committed to his long term success. Very few junior players are willing to take a step backwards in order to take three steps forward later. This is exactly what he has done and his success this summer in Futures is the early sign that it is paying off for him. I was very impressed with his maturity and vision and know he will do great in our environment. His international experience and professional exposure will do a lot for him as he makes the transition to college tennis. I am very excited for his future.”

Donarski On Choosing UNCW: “I chose UNCW because of the mentality of the team and the approach of the coaches. I feel like being surrounded by the right people is key when trying to reach the highest levels. I am very excited to be a part of this upcoming generation.”

Marshall Waren (Wilmington, N.C.)
Top 10 Ranked Junior In North Carolina…Ranked Top 200 by Tennisrecruiting.net…Went undefeated his senior year for New Hanover High School…Voted All-Area and Star News Player of the Year… Chose UNCW over Old Dominion, UNC Asheville, Appalachian State, Presbyterian, Armstrong State.

Coach Mait DuBois On Waren: “Having Marshall come to UNCW represents something very special to me. He has grown up around our program and is absolutely passionate about Seahawk tennis. It doesn’t seem that long ago that I remember Marshal running around the courts and waving the UNCW flag. He has had a lot of success in the Juniors with very little competition and players to train with. In the last couple of years he has really grown up and displayed an impressive work ethic. He has a lot of tools that will help him become successful in college tennis, including a big forehand and serve. He is our first local recruit and I am very excited to see what he can do with the right training and practice environment.”

Waren On choosing UNCW: “I chose UNCW because I wanted to maximize my potential as a tennis player, be part of a rich tradition and be coached by the best staff in the country. The opportunity to train with great players while pursuing my academic interests is a great opportunity.”