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Tulane Tennis Adds Nigel Barton for 2004-05
May 11, 2004 | Men's Tennis
May 11, 2004
NEW ORLEANS, La. - The Tulane University men's tennis program has signed Costa Rican standout Nigel Barton, head coach Robert Klein announced on Tuesday.
Barton, a 6-4, 185-pounder from Rohrmoser, Costa Rica, is preparing to graduate from Country Day School in Escazu, Costa Rica. He spent his sophomore year at the Performance Tennis Academy in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
"I am happy to welcome Nigel into our program," Klein said. "He is a solid addition to the team. I don't expect him to make an immediate impact on our program however, he has a great work ethic and will show great improvement over the next twelve-eighteen months."
The top-ranked player in the U16 Age Group in Costa Rica, Barton's highest ITF ranking was 906 in singles and 288 in doubles in 2003. He was the only Costa Rican to win an ITF tournament in Costa Rica (the Copa Cariari in doubles). He also reached the quarterfinals in doubles in five other ITF tournaments in Central America and the Caribbean.
Barton is the second signee for next year's tennis program, which will lose four-time Conference USA Player of the Year Michael Kogan, four-year letterwinner Hannu Piiroinen and one-year transfer Maxime Lacroix to graduation. Jonah-Kane West (Free Union, Va.) signed with the Green Wave in the fall.
The Green Wave is in action this Saturday at the NCAA Regionals. Tulane, ranked No. 19 in the country, plays No. 30 Notre Dame in the first round of the Cambridge, Mass., Regional. With a win, the Wave would advance to Sunday to play the winner of the match between host Harvard and Northeast Conference Champion Quinnipiac.
