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Women’s Tennis Welcomes Four For Class Of 2028
May 27, 2024 | Women's Tennis
PRINCETON, N.J. – The Princeton University women's tennis team will welcome four talented newcomers from the Class of 2028, as announced by Head Coach Jamea Jackson.
The Tigers' incoming class was ranked No. 14 in the nation by the Tennis Recruiting Network and consists of Anna Nguyen, Maren Urata, Pearlie Zhang and Yichen Zhao. The quartet will join a squad that made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and won the Ivy League title for the fifth-straight season in 2023-24.
Anna Nguyen
Hometown: Reading, Mass.
High School: Reading Memorial
Before Princeton: Ranked No. 1 in New England and top-40 in the country for girl's 18 … High Honor Roll … AP Scholar Award
Personal: Daughter of Mien Bui and Vi Nguygen … has a brother, Alan Nguyen, who played tennis at Assumption University
Maren Urata
Hometown: La Canada Flintridge, Calif.
High School: La Canada
Before Princeton: Reached a high of No. 39 in Tennis Recruiting ranking...has received the national silver and bronze balls from 2022 and 2024 National Level 1 Fila EasterBowl, 2022 National Level 1 Clay Courts, and 2023 National Level 1 Doubles at Orlando...won the ITF JB1 Pan American Closed Championship doubles title...reached multiple single finals of USTA National Level 2's and 3's as well as multiple ITF J3's singles finals...was a semifinalist in 16s singles at the USTA National Indoor Championship...2021 California Interscholastic Federation Division 1 Finalists...graduated from La Canada High School with honors.
Personal: Daughter of Michelle and Mark Urata...sister of Maya Urata who plays on the Women's Tennis team at University of Pennsylvania.
Pearlie Zhang
Hometown: Plainsboro, N.J.
High School: Dwight Global
Before Princeton: Won multiple sportsmanship awards (most prominent include two received at National L1's and an end of the year sectional award) … top-10 Girl 16's … two ITF titles … finalist at Winter Nationals (16s) … #1 in NJ for tennis recruiting
Personal: Daughter of Jing Zhang and Duxi Zhang … sister of Michelle Zhang, Michael Zhang and Peter Zhang, who was on the Ultimate Frisbee team at Ohio State
Yichen Zhao
Hometown: Brambelton, Virginia
High School: Laurel Springs
Before Princeton: Reached a high of No. 85 in the ITF Junior Rankings … competed in Jr. Australian Open and Jr. US Open … Won 10 ITF titles … ITF j300 doubles champion … ITF j300 singles quarterfinals … Reached a high of No. 3 in the USTA U14 … Reached a high of No. 6 in the USTA U16 … Had a 3.93 weighted GPA in high school … 4x 'Student of the Month' award at JTCC school … Received 'The Most Improved Student of the Year' and 'The Hardest Working Student of the Year' award at JTCC school … Took four Advanced Placement (AP) courses during senior year
Personal: Daughter of Yujuan Ma and Xinji Zhao … parents are both business management majors with Masters Degrees … father played table tennis in college
The Tigers' incoming class was ranked No. 14 in the nation by the Tennis Recruiting Network and consists of Anna Nguyen, Maren Urata, Pearlie Zhang and Yichen Zhao. The quartet will join a squad that made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and won the Ivy League title for the fifth-straight season in 2023-24.
Anna Nguyen
Hometown: Reading, Mass.
High School: Reading Memorial
Before Princeton: Ranked No. 1 in New England and top-40 in the country for girl's 18 … High Honor Roll … AP Scholar Award
Personal: Daughter of Mien Bui and Vi Nguygen … has a brother, Alan Nguyen, who played tennis at Assumption University
Maren Urata
Hometown: La Canada Flintridge, Calif.
High School: La Canada
Before Princeton: Reached a high of No. 39 in Tennis Recruiting ranking...has received the national silver and bronze balls from 2022 and 2024 National Level 1 Fila EasterBowl, 2022 National Level 1 Clay Courts, and 2023 National Level 1 Doubles at Orlando...won the ITF JB1 Pan American Closed Championship doubles title...reached multiple single finals of USTA National Level 2's and 3's as well as multiple ITF J3's singles finals...was a semifinalist in 16s singles at the USTA National Indoor Championship...2021 California Interscholastic Federation Division 1 Finalists...graduated from La Canada High School with honors.
Personal: Daughter of Michelle and Mark Urata...sister of Maya Urata who plays on the Women's Tennis team at University of Pennsylvania.
Pearlie Zhang
Hometown: Plainsboro, N.J.
High School: Dwight Global
Before Princeton: Won multiple sportsmanship awards (most prominent include two received at National L1's and an end of the year sectional award) … top-10 Girl 16's … two ITF titles … finalist at Winter Nationals (16s) … #1 in NJ for tennis recruiting
Personal: Daughter of Jing Zhang and Duxi Zhang … sister of Michelle Zhang, Michael Zhang and Peter Zhang, who was on the Ultimate Frisbee team at Ohio State
Yichen Zhao
Hometown: Brambelton, Virginia
High School: Laurel Springs
Before Princeton: Reached a high of No. 85 in the ITF Junior Rankings … competed in Jr. Australian Open and Jr. US Open … Won 10 ITF titles … ITF j300 doubles champion … ITF j300 singles quarterfinals … Reached a high of No. 3 in the USTA U14 … Reached a high of No. 6 in the USTA U16 … Had a 3.93 weighted GPA in high school … 4x 'Student of the Month' award at JTCC school … Received 'The Most Improved Student of the Year' and 'The Hardest Working Student of the Year' award at JTCC school … Took four Advanced Placement (AP) courses during senior year
Personal: Daughter of Yujuan Ma and Xinji Zhao … parents are both business management majors with Masters Degrees … father played table tennis in college
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