COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State men’s tennis team have signed four student-athletes to NCAA National Letters of Intent, Ty Tucker, head coach, announced Tuesday. In this 2008 early signing period, Ohio State has added the No. 1 ranked player in the nation to its roster in New Albany, Ohio, native Chase Buchanan.

Peter Kobelt, who also hails from New Albany, Ohio, and Devin McCarthy and Wyatt Lippert, Cincinnati natives, also took part in the early signing period.    

“We are so thrilled to sign four players from Ohio,” Tucker said. “We feel this class will keep moving Ohio State men’s tennis in the right direction. The best part of this group is they are good friends and they want to be Buckeyes.”

Buchanan, who attended New Albany High School, is the winner of seven singles and doubles USTA national championships. This past fall, he advanced to the quarterfinals of the juniors tournament of the 2008 U.S. Open in New York. He also was crowned the 2008 Easter Bowl Champion in Palm Desert, Calif. Early in his junior career, Buchanan became the youngest winner ever at the Vero Beach Futures Event when he won at the age of 16. Competing in the Les Petit – the premier world championship for competitors 14 and under – Buchanan won the coveted title at 13 years old.

“Chase is clearly the best player in the nation,” Tucker said. “He has won national and world titles, singles and doubles titles, amateur and professional titles. What else would a coach need or want?”

A product of New Albany High School, Kobelt is ranked in the Top 70 in the U.S. Seniors standings. He won the national title in the 18s Advanced Junior Team Tennis championship. Additionally in 2008, Kobelt reached the finals of the Boys 18 Midwest championship and partnered with McCarthy to claim the event’s doubles title. In the spring of 2008, Kobelt was the Division I Ohio High School Athletics Association state tournament singles finalist.   

“Peter has as much potential as anyone in the nation for his age,” Tucker said. “If he puts in the time, this student-athlete will have an All-American career.”

Lippert, ranked 30th in the U.S. for Seniors, was the 2008 Division I OHSAA Champion at Lakota West. He was the 2008 Huntington Bank Ohio High School Magazine Boys Tennis Player of the Year and in 2007 was ranked No. 22 in the USTA national rankings for 16s.

“Wyatt is an extremely talented left-handed player,” Tucker said. “We feel he is ready to play at this level right now. He is so tricky with his style.”

McCarthy won the 2008 Division II OHSAA title for Indian Hills High School and has helped Indian Hills win two Ohio High School team state championships. Partnering with Kobelt, he won the 2008 Boys 18 Midwest doubles championship. As a freshman, he also claimed the Ohio High School doubles state championship and placed fourth in 2007 at the National Clay Court Boy’s 16s.

“In all my time in Ohio tennis, I am not sure I have seen a more talented and respected tennis family,” Tucker said. “We are thrilled Devin will play for the Buckeyes. He is the youngest of four boys and the other three played or are currently playing on Big Ten teams. He has been ranked in the Top 20 in the U.S. rankings in younger age groups.”

Andrew McCarthy is a sophomore at Northwestern. Ryan and Michael lettered at Indiana from 2004-05 and 2005-08, respectively.