Two freshmen and a transfer student make up the new core of players joining the Hillsdale College men's tennis program in 2019-20.
As the Chargers enter their fifth year of existence, the team saw the departure of its first true full class of players, who helped lead the Chargers on a rapid ascent among the top programs in the Midwest. But head coach Keith Turner is confident in the abilities of the three newcomers to Hillsdale in the new year.
Tyler Conrad (Freeland, MI/Midland Dow High School), Bogdan Janicijevic (First School of Belgrade), and Ivanhoe Lissanevitch (Kathmandu, Nepal) will play for Hillsdale starting in the new year. Lissanevitch will be a junior after playing his first two seasons at the University of Incarnate Word in Texas.
Conrad will retain his high school team's nickname of the Chargers, and once again become teammates with Michael Szabo, who was also a standout with the Chargers of Midland Dow. Conrad won 92 percent of his high school matches, going 126-11 between singles and doubles competition. Individually, he finished in third place in the 2018 state tournament in Michigan, was named the Saginaw Valley League Player of the Year and captured numerous regional championships. He set the state record for most number of 6-0, 6-0 wins in a career with 52 and helped lead Dow High School to the 2016 state championship and three other top-five finishes in the state as a team.
Within USTA competition, Conrad earned a top 50 ranking in both 2016 and 2018. Away from the court, he worked as a mentor for a 5th grade international baccalaureate exhibition.
Janicijevic was a member of the Serbian U18 national tennis team and also played soccer in his prep years. He was a member of the high school choir and played guitar in his band.
Lissanevitch won several Spanish tennis tournaments in his playing days and reached the Main Draw of ITF Futures Tournaments. He also did charity work after an earthquake hit his home country of Nepal.