ORLANDO, Florida - The sky's the limit for Murphy Cassone. The Overland Park, Kansas, native earned a spot on the USTA Collegiate Summer Team, the USTA announced today. Cassone, the ITA Rookie of the Year, is one of five men in the summer team training program "designed to help America's premier college players assimilate to professional tennis in a team-oriented environment via USTA Player & Coach Development." Cassone is one of two men from the Pac-12 on the team.
Full USTA Team Announcement
Cassone Named ITA Rookie of the Year
Being announced to the team is just one of a number of remarkable summer achievements for Cassone. The young stud has played in three ITF tournaments and is in the midst of a fourth. At the end of May he played in the Little Rock Challenger 100 where he went on 4-0 tear, defeating two top-300 in a run that saw him win in the qualifying draw first and second rounds, then the main draw first and second rounds before being eliminated. At the M25 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Cassone defeated 2021 NCAA Singles Champion Sam Riffice (Florida) 6-3, 6-4 - another trophy win.
"It's a huge honor for Murphy," head coach Matt Hill said. "They only take five Americans in all of college tennis so to be one of the five and only a freshman speaks volumes to what he's done this spring season. He had a great week in Little Rock and then followed that up by beating last year's singles champion. It's fun to see him progressing so well."
2022 USTA Collegiate Summer Team
Men:
Women:
Per the USTA, each of the players was selected based on a number of criteria, including rankings, individual collegiate tournament results or Intercollegiate Tennis Association honors. Players on the team are eligible to receive a grant for travel to USTA Pro Circuit events and coaching support over the summer.
Cassone hasn't even been on campus for a full year yet but his name has quickly become known across the country. After going 15-9 (9-0 Pac-12), Cassone earned Pac-12 Rookie of the Year honors and competed in the NCAA SIngles Championship. He peaked at No. 17 in the ITA rankings, and his ITA ROTY nod was the Pac-12's first since 2009. Cassone defeated seven ranked opponents, including No. 1 August Holmgren (San Diego). It wasn't Cassone's only upset, as he defeated No. 2 Arthur Fury (Stanford), No. 6 Clement Chidekh (Washington) and No. 9 Daniel De Jonge (Pepperdine) during the year too.
Full USTA Team Announcement
Cassone Named ITA Rookie of the Year
Being announced to the team is just one of a number of remarkable summer achievements for Cassone. The young stud has played in three ITF tournaments and is in the midst of a fourth. At the end of May he played in the Little Rock Challenger 100 where he went on 4-0 tear, defeating two top-300 in a run that saw him win in the qualifying draw first and second rounds, then the main draw first and second rounds before being eliminated. At the M25 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Cassone defeated 2021 NCAA Singles Champion Sam Riffice (Florida) 6-3, 6-4 - another trophy win.
"It's a huge honor for Murphy," head coach Matt Hill said. "They only take five Americans in all of college tennis so to be one of the five and only a freshman speaks volumes to what he's done this spring season. He had a great week in Little Rock and then followed that up by beating last year's singles champion. It's fun to see him progressing so well."
Shark just ate ??
— Sun Devil M. Tennis (@SunDevilMTennis) June 22, 2022
Murphy Cassone took down '21 NCAA Singles Champion Sam Riffice in straight sets today at the Tulsa M25 ?? pic.twitter.com/lHmdaCwIFB
2022 USTA Collegiate Summer Team
Men:
- Murphy Cassone (Freshman, Arizona State; Overland Park, Kansas)
- Stefan Dostanic (Junior, USC; Irvine, California)
- Cannon Kingsley (Junior, Ohio State; Northport, New York)
- Sam Riffice (Senior, Florida; Orlando, Florida)
- Ben Shelton (Sophomore, Florida; Gainesville, Florida)
- Coaches: Rich Bonfiglio (USC), Mario Rincon (Louisville)
Women:
- Eryn Cayetano (Junior, USC; Long Beach, California)
- Sarah Hamner (Freshman, South Carolina; Boca Raton, Florida)
- Connie Ma (Freshman, Stanford; Dublin, California)
- Emma Navarro (Sophomore, Virginia; Charleston, South Carolina)
- Peyton Stearns (Sophomore, Texas; Mason, Ohio)
- Coaches: Hayley Carter (Vanderbilt)
Per the USTA, each of the players was selected based on a number of criteria, including rankings, individual collegiate tournament results or Intercollegiate Tennis Association honors. Players on the team are eligible to receive a grant for travel to USTA Pro Circuit events and coaching support over the summer.
Cassone hasn't even been on campus for a full year yet but his name has quickly become known across the country. After going 15-9 (9-0 Pac-12), Cassone earned Pac-12 Rookie of the Year honors and competed in the NCAA SIngles Championship. He peaked at No. 17 in the ITA rankings, and his ITA ROTY nod was the Pac-12's first since 2009. Cassone defeated seven ranked opponents, including No. 1 August Holmgren (San Diego). It wasn't Cassone's only upset, as he defeated No. 2 Arthur Fury (Stanford), No. 6 Clement Chidekh (Washington) and No. 9 Daniel De Jonge (Pepperdine) during the year too.
What offseason? Murphy Cassone is tearing up Little Rock this week ?? pic.twitter.com/pp7bjxq2cr
— Sun Devil M. Tennis (@SunDevilMTennis) June 1, 2022