College Commitment
Spring Signing Week '09: Pham Among Broncos
by James Hill, 10 April 2009
The University of Santa Clara Broncos will be fortunate to have the services of a spirited young tennis player next August.
Thomas Pham of San Diego, ranked No. 58 on the TennisRecruiting.net national list (No. 16 in California), has signed a letter of intent to play for the Santa Clara men's team.
"I chose Santa Clara because it's a great school for engineering," said the 17-year-old Pham, who will graduate from San Diego's Rancho Bernardo High School. "Being in the middle of the Silicon Valley, there will be lots of opportunities to work with the latest technology. With many of my relatives living in the San Jose area, I can visit them more often.
"When I took my official visit to Santa Clara, I got along well with the players and coach (Derek) Mills. I want to help him rebuild the tennis team to national prominence."
Pham, a 5-foot-7, 135-pound right-hander, has attained some national prominence of his own.
Last July, Pham was a USTA Clay Courts Boys 16s singles and doubles quarterfinalist. Three months earlier, he took third place in the Easter Bowl doubles with Marcos Giron. The duo won the 2008 USTA National Open doubles title at Lakewood, Calif., and Pham took home the singles trophy. In 2007, Pham won the Lakewood doubles title, this time with Denis Nguyen. Pham and Nguyen had teamed up to capture the 2006 National Open 14s doubles at Long Beach, Calif. In addition, Pham was a boys 14s singles finalist, and doubles third-place winner, at the May 2006 National Open in front of the hometown folks in San Diego.
