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Who
are USA's Best Collegiate Stars?
Who are the best college players in the country? Here they are, listed in order of USATT rating. You’ll get their name, rank and cereal (!), as well as a lot of other stuff! (A few couldn’t be reached, but are still listed; if you feel you should have been on the list, email me at larry@larrytt.com).
Note that USATT ratings change, so these rankings are as of the ratings used in this issue. Eric Owens, who’s been the National Collegiate Men’s Singles Champion for three straight years, had a bad loss at the recent Newgy Open and dropped from his near perennial #1 spot in men’s to #3. (On the other hand, the top three before that were pretty close – Owens 2567, Han Xiao 2565, Adam Hugh 2559!)
Name:
Jackie Lee
Rank: 1
Cereal: Lucky Charms or Cheerios
USATT Rating: 2385
College: UC Berkeley
Hometown: San Francisco
Age/DOB: 19, 11-9-85
Year: Junior
Major: Architecture; minor: City Planning
Playing style: Close to the table, two-winged attacker
Best titles or rankings:
• 2004 and 2005 U.S. Women’s World Team Member
• 2004 U.S. Nationals Under 22 Women’s and Under 2400 Champion
• 2004 North American Women’s Singles Runner-up
• 2005 National Collegiate Women’s Singles & Doubles Champion
• 2002 Pan American Junior Girls’ Champion
• 2003 Under 18 World Ranking: # 42
• 2005 Under 21 World Ranking: #101
• 1995, 1996, 1997 Joe Ferrell Sportsmanship Award Recipient
Coaches: Dennis Davis, Jack Wu and Sean O’Neill
Sponsor: Stiga, Table Tennis Pioneers
Table tennis goals: To continue to be a member of the U.S. National team, make the 2007 Pan Am and 2008 Olympic Teams, achieve top 150 ranking in the world for Women and top 50 for Under 21.
Non-table tennis goals: Get a Master’s degree in Architecture, minor in City Planning; hopefully
open my own architectural firm one day
Hobbies: Reading, playing the piano, drawing, running, yoga, dancing, learning different languages
Name:
Biljana Golic
Rank: 2
Cereal: None given, alas
USATT Rating: 2339
College: Currently in process of transferring from IIT to Harold Washington, but in the meantime taking classes at Kaplan Educational Center.
Hometown: Coka, Serbia and Montenegro
Age: Born in 1977
Year: Sophomore
Major: Business Administration and Management
Playing style: shakehand, aggressive
Best titles:
• Former Mediterranean and Balkanian champion in singles, doubles and mixed doubles
• Final Eight in European Team Championship
• Bakay Open Champion
• North Carolina Open Champion
• Two-time Portland Open Champion
• 2004 National Collegiate Women’s Champion
• 2005 National Collegiate Women’s Runner-up
Coach: Ilija Lupulesku and Sasa Drinic
Sponsor: Killerspin
Table tennis goals: To win 2006 National Collegiate Championship
Non Table tennis goals: To graduate
Hobbies: Coaching, hanging out with my friends, listening to music, drawing
Name:
Whitney Ping
Rank: 3
Cereal: Honey Bunches of Oats
USATT Rating: 2316
College: Stanford University
Hometown: Beaverton, OR
Age/DOB: 18, 10/23/1986
Year: Freshman
Major: Economics
Playing style: Two-winged looper
Best titles or rankings: 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Member, many others.
Coaches: Have received lots of coaching advice from Mark Nordby, Masaaki Tajima and Doru Gheorghe
Sponsor: Butterfly
Table tennis goals:
• Make the 2008 Olympic Team
• Win a National Championship title in Women’s Singles
• Make table tennis in the U.S. a rising power by helping the younger generation through USATT Board work and otherwise.
Non-table tennis goals: Have a lot of fun, be a good person, learn a lot in school, and eventually work for Nike.
Hobbies: Spending time with family and friends, going to the beach, movies, music, all sports, especially football.
Name:
Katherine Wu
Rank: 4
Cereal: Honey Nut Chex
USATT Rating: 2132
College: University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Hometown: Potomac, MD
Age/DOB: 19, 1-12,-86
Year: Sophomore
Major: Undecided, but possibly Business or Organizational Studies?
Playing style: Close to table hitter/blocker with short pips on backhand
Best titles or rankings: Junior Olympic and National Girls’ Singles, Doubles & Team Champion for nearly every age group
Coach: Jack Huang
Sponsor: Butterfly
Table tennis goals: U.S. Collegiate Team Member
Non-table tennis goals: Make an insane amount of money
Hobbies: Volleyball, Frisbee, Hanging out with friends, FOOD =)
Name:
Mariso Delszo Infante
Rank: 5
USATT Rating: 2035
College: St. Pete Community College
Name:
Kathy Wang
Rank: 6
Cereal: Lucky Charms
USATT Rating: 1985
College: University of Virginia
Hometown: Fairfax, VA
Age/DOB: 19, 11-6-85
Year: Junior
Major: Economics & East Asian Studies
Playing style: Shakehand attacker
Best titles or rankings: Many National Junior Titles
Coaches: Sean O’Neill & Cheng Yinghua
Table tennis goals: Attend club practices more often
Non-table tennis goals: Wall Street
Hobbies: Art, clubs, volunteering, cook, procrastinate
Name:
Allison Seibel
Rank: 7
Cereal: Oh’s!
USATT Rating: 1905
College: UC Berkeley
Hometown: Albany, CA
Age/DOB: 20, 02-21-85
Year: Sophomore
Major: Civil Engineering
Playing style: Shake-hand pips-out offense
Best titles or rankings: Too long ago to remember!
Table tennis goals: To start playing TT again after I finish school
Non-table tennis goals: Find internship in New Orleans for Spring-Summer 2006, attend culinary school, and volunteer for Peace Corps or similar program.
Hobbies: Cooking, reading and traveling (when time and money allow)
Name:
Sabrina Worrell
Rank: 8
Cereal: None given
USATT Rating: 1864
College: Texas Wesleyan University
Hometown: Barbados
Age/DOB: 20, 10-13-84
Year: Senior
Major: Accounting
Playing style: Attacking player with short pips on backhand
Best titles or rankings:
• 2004 College National Women’s Doubles Champion
• 2005 College National Mixed Doubles Champion
Coaches: Christian Lillieroos and Keith Evans
Table tennis goals: To attend the Olympic games
Non-table tennis goals: To own my own business
Hobbies: Watching TV, exercising
Name:
Han Xiao
Rank: 1
Cereal: Cocoa Puffs
USATT Rating: 2565
College: Univ. of Maryland
Hometown: Germantown, Maryland
Age/DOB: 12-19-86
Year: Sophomore
Major: Computer Science/Business Management
Playing style: Two-winged looper
Best titles or rankings:
• 2002 National Men’s Doubles Champion
• Two-time U.S. Men’s Team member
• Many-time U.S. Junior Boys’ Team member
• Former National and Junior Olympic Singles Champion in every age group from Under 10 to Under 22
Coach: Cheng Yinghua
Sponsor: Butterfly
Table tennis goals: Make the 2008 Olympic Team
Non-table tennis goals: Receive an MBA
Hobbies: All sports in general
Name:
Adam Hugh
Rank: 2
Cereal: Apple Jacks
USATT Rating: 2559
College: Princeton University
Hometown: Warren, NJ
Age/DOB: 17, 1-5-88
Year: Freshman
Major: Engineering
Playing style: Two-winged looper
Best titles or rankings:
• #1 in Under 18 Boys
• 2003 U.S. Nationals Men’s Singles Semifinalist
• 2004 U.S. National Team
Coaches: Lily Yip, Barry Dattel
Sponsor: Killerspin
Table tennis goals: Olympic Team, top 100 in world
Non-table tennis goals: Eventually get a good career
Hobbies: Ultimate frisbee, baseball, chillin w/ my friends
Name:
Eric Owens
Rank: 3
Cereal: Spinach Juice (!!!)
USATT Rating: 2524
College: Texas Wesleyan University
Hometown: Fort Worth
Age/DOB: 29, 9-30-75
Year: Senior
Major: Biochemistry
Playing style: Two-Winged Attack
Best titles or rankings:
• 2001 U.S. National Champion Singles and Doubles
• Many-time U.S. National Team Member
• 3-time and current U.S. Collegiate Men’s Singles Champion
• 2-time U.S. Collegiate Champion in Men’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles, and Teams
Coaches: Christian Lillieroos
Sponsor: Nittaku and Newgy
Table tennis goals: Beat Larry Hodges in clipboard pong. I am in double secret clipboard training!!!
Non-table tennis goals: Obtain an MD/PhD degree
Hobbies: Jet Skiing/Wakeboarding
Name:
Ludovic Gombos
Rank: 4
USATT Rating: 2496
College: Texas Wesleyan University
Name:
Carlos Chiu
Rank: 5
Cereal: Pop Corns
USATT Rating: 2341
College: Texas Wesleyan University
Hometown: Mexico City, Mexico
Age/DOB: 20, 7-10-85
Year: Freshman
Major: Business Administration
Playing style: Aggressive forehand topspin
Best titles or rankings:
• 2004 Under 21 Mexican Champion
• Under 21 Latin America Doubles Champion
• Mexican National Team Member
• Under 21 Central America runner-up
Coaches: Yuan Jing Kang Mexican National Team Coach, Zhao Guo Zheng China’s National Team Coach Member, Christian Lillieroos, Keith Evans
Sponsor: Butterfly
Table tennis goals: Represent Mexico in the 2008 Olympic Games and Latin American Champion
Non-table tennis goals: Get my business administration degree
Hobbies: Drawing, hanging out with friends
Name:
Pan Lin
Rank: 6
Cereal: Froot Loops
USATT Rating: 2315
College: Princeton
Hometown: Beijing, China
Age/DOB: 18, 11-13-1986
Year: Sophomore
Major: ORFE (Operations Research and Financial Engineering) and East Asian
Playing style: Looper, mainly close to the table
Best titles or rankings: Under 16 & Under 18 Junior Olympics Gold Medalist
Coaches: Coach Liu Huiyuan and now David Zhuang
Sponsor: Looking for one!
Table tennis goals: Make the 2008 Olympics!
Non-table tennis goals: Get a good job in Finance/Business, and then get married. Also improve myself both spiritually and intellectually
Hobbies: International Soccer, Basketball, KTVing, Talking online
Name:
Courtney Roberts
Rank: 7
Cereal: Honey Nut Cheerios
USATT Rating: 2273
College: Texas Wesleyan University
Hometown: Kingston, Jamaica.
Age/DOB: 29, 12-12-75
Year: Senior
Major: Business Sports Management
Playing style: Two-wing mid-distance looper with emphasis on lobbing.
Best titles or rankings:
• 2005 Jamaican National Team Member
• 2005 Collegiate Means Singles Semifinalist
• 2005 and 2003 Collegiate Men’s Doubles Champion
• 2005 and 2004 NCTTA Team Champion
• 2004 U.S National Hardbat Champion
• 2003 High Desert Open Champion
• 2003 Collegiate Men’s Singles Finalist
• 2003 U.S Nationals U-2300 Champion
• 2002 Pacific Coast Open Champion
• 1991 Jamaican National Junior Champion
Coaches: Francis Degorville, Norman Bass, Mark Wedret, Christian Lillieroos
Sponsors: Paddle Palace and Coley’s Caribbean American Cuisine.
Table tennis goals: Win a U.S. National Title, play in the 2008 Olympics, and be a part of the Killerspin Team as soon as possible
Non-table tennis goals: Graduate from Wesleyan as soon as possible and get into Law School to study Contract Law to become a sports agent
Hobbies: Lifting weights, eating at Coley’s Caribbean American Cuisine in Inglewood, Ca., traveling around the world, and spending time with my family
Name:
Meng Lian
Rank: 8
USATT Rating: 2271
College: University of Tennessee
Name:
Kim Bong Geun
Rank: 9
Cereal: Lightning Footwork
USATT Rating: 2261
College: Georgia Perimeter College
Hometown: Busan, South Korea
Age/DOB: 24, 1-27-81
Year: Sophomore
Major: Nursing
Playing style: Quick Attack
Best titles or rankings:
• 1995 41st Korea National Classified Table Tennis Championships 1st place in Doubles
• 1996 34th Korea National Student TT Event 1st place in Team Event, 3rd Place in Singles
• 2005 NCTTA Male Player of The Year
Table tennis goals: Go to the Olympic games
Non-table tennis goals: Sport Medical Doctor
Hobbies: Listening to music, watching movies, playing sports and reading
Name:
Dinko Kranjac
Rank: 10
USATT Rating: 2256
College: Texas Wesleyan University
Name:
Raghu Nadmichettu
Rank: 11
Cereal: Wheaties
USATT Rating: 2224
College: Montgomery College
Hometown: Germantown, Maryland
Age/DOB: 18, 1-5-87
Year: Freshman
Major: Computer Science
Playing style: Two-winged close to table power looper
Best titles or rankings:
• 2nd Under 22 at 2003 Junior Olympics
• #8 in the Under 22
• Recently rated 2290
Coaches: Cheng Yinghua, Jack Huang and Larry Hodges
Table tennis goals: Make the U.S. National team
Non-table tennis goals: Get a college degree and get a good job
Hobbies: Playing other sports, listening to music, reading
Name:
Thomas Plaisted
Rank: 12
Cereal: With milk please
USATT Rating: 2210
College: Univ. California at San Diego
Hometown: Lexington, KY
Age/DOB: 28, 1-20-1977
Year: Doctoral Student
Major: Materials Science
Playing style: All-around topspin
Best titles or rankings: Former Under 16 Champion at U.S. Nationals
Coaches: Ted Friedman
Table tennis goals: Enjoy playing the sport past my 90s
Non-table tennis goals: Enjoy life past my 90s
Hobbies: Scootering, cycling and tinkering
Name:
Casey Ching
Rank: 13
Cereal: Peanut Butter Captain Crunch
USATT Rating: 2200
College: University of Pennsylvania
Hometown: Vancouver, B.C. Canada
Age/DOB: 20, 10-25-84
Year: Senior
Major: Business (Finance & Accounting)
Playing style:
All-out attack/one-winged looper
Best titles or rankings:
• Canada Winter Games Silver Medalist
• B.C. Winter Games Gold Medalist
Coaches: Shawn Ayotte, Eric VandeVorde, Terry Shu, Ahmed Abdulrahim
Sponsor: Student Federal Credit Union @ Penn
Table tennis goals: To bring Penn the national collegiate team championship
Non-table tennis goals: Open a commercial bank, run a mutual/hedge fund
Hobbies: Eating, ultimate frisbee, roller hockey, running, squash
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