NEW ORLEANS – Head Coach Burzis Kanga has added five newcomers ahead of the 2026-27 tennis season to go along with three returning players as the Privateers gear up for a fall schedule that features three tournaments.
 
Toa Maeda, who transfers from Hawaii, won five singles matches in his freshman season and earned First Team All-Big West in doubles after notching 10 wins and going unbeaten against conference opponents. His UTR singles rating is 12.13 and his doubles rating is 12.41. Maeda was also formerly ranked #1 among juniors in Japan.

Shinyu Hasegawa comes from Japan where he played at Aioi Gakuin HS. While Shinyu was there, he was the All-Japan High School Championship runner-up. He also finished fifth place in the district All-Japan championships in Harima.
 
Alexandre Gallet hails from France and has achieved strong results at the national level among juniors. That includes being a quarterfinalist in the under-18 championships in Paris.
 
Jeremie Luttig comes from Belgium and he has won the Belgium championship at the junior level in 2017, 2019 and 2021. He ascended to the top ranking in Belgium among all juniors.

Lukas Gruben has competed for his club at the Dutch Eredivisie, which is the highest level of club tennis in the Netherlands. He has also won an NRT (National Ranking Tournament) and has also achieved a #1 ranking in the under-16 division in the Netherlands.
 
FROM COACH KANGA
"This recruiting class that we brought in is one of our better recruiting years. It's a group of young men who are very mature. They not only have a strong presence on the court but they also have a great work ethic and approach to how they do things. Jeremie is a great all-around player and he has a strong presence on the court. Lukas is a lefty who will continue to get stronger over time. Alexandre is a strong player and he has a solid all-around game. Toa brings great experience from Hawaii and he will add a lot to our strength in doubles. Shinyu also adds a presence for our team in singles and doubles. This team is capable of doing great things."
 
The Privateers begin their fall campaign on Oct. 2 with the Big Easy Fall Classic.
 
ABOUT LSU NEW ORLEANS
In July of 2026 the University of New Orleans rejoined the LSU system and rebranded to "LSU New Orleans" bringing together two powerful brands - the purple and gold of LSU with the unbreakable spirit of New Orleans. The transition marks a return to the LSU family for the University - a place it called home from 1958-2011. Athletic teams will remain the Privateers and continue to compete in the Southland Conference.
 
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