Xavier University Athletics
National Signing Day: Women’s Tennis Brings in a Talented Four-Member Recruiting Class
11.10.17 | Women's Tennis
CINCINNATI – Xavier women's tennis head coach Doug Matthews is excited about the four players that signed in the fall signing period: Anna Letto (Hilton Head Island, S.C.), Natalie Moyer (Kalamazoo, Mich.), Hunter Roper (Jonesboro, Ark.) and Emily Thomas (Cincinnati, Ohio).
"I am excited to announce that this group is coming to Xavier," said Matthews. "All four of these individuals are high achievers. They are great academically, athletically, and will be great teammates as well as leaders. It says a lot about the current players and culture of this team that we are able to attract this quality of group to join our family."
Anna Letto is a four-star recruit from Hilton Head Island, S.C. Letto played as a member of the Van Der Meer Tennis Academy before signing with the Musketeers, and is the number three-ranked tennis player in South Carolina. Letto had a tennis RPI as high as 62 in the country and was a member of the 2016 USTA Zonals Championship Team.
"Anna is a great athlete," said Matthews. "She was a high-level volleyball player, but we are happy she chose tennis. At 5-10, she moves well and is strong at the net. Her ranking has moved up every year since she has been in high school. It is clear that her best tennis is ahead of her. She has an energy about her that just puts the people around her in a good mood, but is also a fierce competitor."
Natalie Moyer is a three-star recruit from Kalamazoo, Mich. Moyer is ranked as the number three tennis player for the state of Michigan and was the 2016 MHSAA Singles State Champion. Moyer was a three-time all-state selection and was a member of the Tennis Recruiting Network Hot 100 recruits for the month of March.
"Natalie is another player on the rise. Her ranking has gone up over a hundred spots this year," said Matthews. "She has good serve and a big forehand and the rest of her game is quickly improving. Her best tennis is definitely in front of her. Running cross country and playing tennis this year shows that she is really dedicated to improving."
Hunter Roper is a four-star recruit from Jonesboro, Ark. Roper is ranked as the number two female tennis player in the state of Arkansas. She defeated the number one ranked tennis player, Thea Rice, who is five-star recruit headed to Arkansas in the 2016 5A Singles State Championship. Roper's Tennis RPI ranked as high as 33 in the country during her four years of school, and was the recipient of the 2017 Arkansas Sportsmanship Award.
"Hunter is an outstanding athlete and gives us much needed size at around 5-11," said Matthews. "She has an all-court game and is also a good doubles player. Her ranking has improved each of the past four years and she is really hungry to be even better this year. Her work ethic will be contagious the moment she steps on campus."
Emily Thomas is a local product from Princeton High School here in Cincinnati. Thomas is ranked as the number one female tennis player in the state of Ohio and teetered between being a four-star and five-star recruit throughout her four years. Thomas finished with a top five tennis RPI, in the country, during her first three years of high school and was the 2015 OHSAA Singles State Champion, along with being a 2015 High School Tennis All-American.
"Emily brings an exceptional junior resume into our program," said Matthews. "Until her recent injury, she was consistently a five-star recruit and one of the top juniors in the country. She is a winner and has a confidence about her that our team needs. It is also great to get top local talent and the number one player in Ohio."
"I am excited to announce that this group is coming to Xavier," said Matthews. "All four of these individuals are high achievers. They are great academically, athletically, and will be great teammates as well as leaders. It says a lot about the current players and culture of this team that we are able to attract this quality of group to join our family."
Anna Letto is a four-star recruit from Hilton Head Island, S.C. Letto played as a member of the Van Der Meer Tennis Academy before signing with the Musketeers, and is the number three-ranked tennis player in South Carolina. Letto had a tennis RPI as high as 62 in the country and was a member of the 2016 USTA Zonals Championship Team.
"Anna is a great athlete," said Matthews. "She was a high-level volleyball player, but we are happy she chose tennis. At 5-10, she moves well and is strong at the net. Her ranking has moved up every year since she has been in high school. It is clear that her best tennis is ahead of her. She has an energy about her that just puts the people around her in a good mood, but is also a fierce competitor."
Natalie Moyer is a three-star recruit from Kalamazoo, Mich. Moyer is ranked as the number three tennis player for the state of Michigan and was the 2016 MHSAA Singles State Champion. Moyer was a three-time all-state selection and was a member of the Tennis Recruiting Network Hot 100 recruits for the month of March.
"Natalie is another player on the rise. Her ranking has gone up over a hundred spots this year," said Matthews. "She has good serve and a big forehand and the rest of her game is quickly improving. Her best tennis is definitely in front of her. Running cross country and playing tennis this year shows that she is really dedicated to improving."
Hunter Roper is a four-star recruit from Jonesboro, Ark. Roper is ranked as the number two female tennis player in the state of Arkansas. She defeated the number one ranked tennis player, Thea Rice, who is five-star recruit headed to Arkansas in the 2016 5A Singles State Championship. Roper's Tennis RPI ranked as high as 33 in the country during her four years of school, and was the recipient of the 2017 Arkansas Sportsmanship Award.
"Hunter is an outstanding athlete and gives us much needed size at around 5-11," said Matthews. "She has an all-court game and is also a good doubles player. Her ranking has improved each of the past four years and she is really hungry to be even better this year. Her work ethic will be contagious the moment she steps on campus."
Emily Thomas is a local product from Princeton High School here in Cincinnati. Thomas is ranked as the number one female tennis player in the state of Ohio and teetered between being a four-star and five-star recruit throughout her four years. Thomas finished with a top five tennis RPI, in the country, during her first three years of high school and was the 2015 OHSAA Singles State Champion, along with being a 2015 High School Tennis All-American.
"Emily brings an exceptional junior resume into our program," said Matthews. "Until her recent injury, she was consistently a five-star recruit and one of the top juniors in the country. She is a winner and has a confidence about her that our team needs. It is also great to get top local talent and the number one player in Ohio."
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