Hempstead, NY - Hofstra University Head Tennis Coach Amanda Foukas today announced the addition of nine student-athletes to roster for the 2009-10 academic year.  The total of nine includes three women and six men as Foukas enters her second full season at the helm in 2009-10.

“I am really excited about our incoming class,” commented Foukas.  “They all bring something special to the court and we are looking forward to a great year with the new talent.”

Joining the Pride Women's Tennis team will be: Malissa Gilanchi (Millstone Township, NJ), Paige Polizois (Corona del Mar, CA) and Sonia Tsay (East Brunswick, NJ).

The new members of the Hofstra Men's Tennis team are: Chris Damion (Corona del Mar, CA), Jon Disley (Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, England), Josh Levinson (Las Vegas, NV), Jason Sinkoff (Solana Beach, CA), Ben Thompson-Star (Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia) and Jake Youngswick (Boca Raton, FL).

Gilanchi prepped at Upper Freehold Regional High School in Allentown, New Jersey, where she was a member of the varsity tennis team.  A member of the all-area team, Gilanchi set a school record by placing third in the Mercer County Tournament and played second singles for the squad. 

Polizois played for years of tennis at Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach, CA, where under the direction of coach Brian Ricker the Seakings were two-time CIF Division I champions and two more times a finalist.  Polizois helped lead the team to a stellar 106-6 record during her time there and she is ranked 80th by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) in Southern California.

Tsay played scholastically at East Brunswick High School in East Brunswick, New Jersey where she played tennis from 2005-09.  A member of three straight Greater Middlesex County championships, Tsay was part of a program that compiled an 88-5 record over the past three seasons.  The Greater Middlesex County champion at second singles from 2006-09, Tsay was also a quarterfinalists this past year in the individual state singles tournament and previously had reached the round of 16 on a pair of occasions.

Damion attended Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach, CA and played tennis for four years.  He won the Ojai Griggs Cup and advanced to the quarterfinals of the CIF doubles tournament recently. 

Disley is one of two players from outside the United States joining the Pride as he hails from England where he prepped at The Bishops Stortford High School.  Disley played tennis and track & field in high school and he also attended the IMG Nick Bollettieri Academy in Bradenton, Florida during the 2008-09 academic year.

A native of Las Vegas, NV, Levinson prepped at Palo Verde High School and Odyssey Charter School.  He played four years of tennis and also ran track for one season with the Panthers.  A member of two state championship teams, Levinson helped lead his team to a 56-match win streak as he combined to go 93-1 from his sophomore to senior seasons.  The number one seed in the region, he was an individual two-time state champion as well.

Sinkoff attended Torrey Pines High School in San Diego, CA, where he was a member of the varsity tennis team for two seasons.  In 2006 the Falcons were the number one ranked tennis team in the nation and won the National high School Tennis All-American Team Invitational, while also going undefeated and being crowned CIF champions.  A first team all-city selection in 2007, Sinkoff served as an assistant coach with Torrey Pines this year as the team went undefeated and was the CIF champions.

Thompson-Star attended Mackillop Senior College in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia before spending the last two years at Cypress College in Cypress, California.  While at Cypress he compiled a 35-15 singles mark and a 28-15 doubles record.  He played first singles and doubles for the Chargers and was named to the all conference team as well as earning Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete honors.

The last of the newcomers to the program is Youngswick, who starred at Boca Raton Community High School in Boca Raton, FL.  Youngswick played four years of tennis and two years of golf for the Bobcats and was a three-time MVP of the tennis team.  Youngswick compiled a 64-12 record at Boca Raton and as a senior won both the singles and doubles district titles.