Mizzou Tennis Adds Vasquez to Recruiting Class
3/20/2020 2:25:00 PM | Tennis
Vasquez ranked as the No. 1 U-18 player in Chile
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Tennis head coach Colt Gaston announced the signing of Valentina Vasquez on Friday, as the Santiago, Chile, native signed her national letter of intent to continue her athletic and academic career at the University of Missouri. Vasquez will join the program in the fall of 2020 with four years of eligibility.
Vasquez has been ranked as the No. 1 player in the U-18 Chile rankings, has a career-high ranking of No. 240 in the ITF Junior Rankings and has been a member of the Chilean national team for numerous international tournaments.
"We are very excited about the addition of Valentina to our program," said Gaston. "She is a great competitor and has some high expectations for herself at the collegiate level, which I love to see. I have been impressed with her desire to reach the next level and we are very much looking forward to getting started with her in the fall."
"I think Mizzou is the perfect place to become the best version of myself," said Vasquez. "The coaching staff and team are great and immediately made me feel comfortable. I am convinced that this is the best place for me to improve in tennis and be a better person in every way."
Vasquez held the distinction of the No. 1-ranked player in Chile at the U-12, U-14, U-16 and U-18 levels, and has represented the Chilean national team six times over her prep career. Vasquez also held a No. 5-ranking in the South American U-16 Rankings, earning an invite from the South American Tennis Federation to play in European tennis tournaments for the South American team. Vasquez has won three tournaments over her prep career, capturing titles at the 2 ITF Grade 5 (singles), 3 ITF Grade 4 (doubles) and 3 ITF Grade 5 (doubles) tournaments.
She currently lives in the countryside near Santiago, Chile, with her parents, Jorge and Heidi (Pongruber) and her three siblings, Francisca (21), Matias (17) and Rafaela (15).
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