{"id":230889,"date":"2025-10-22T03:13:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T03:13:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/230889\/"},"modified":"2025-10-22T03:13:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T03:13:09","slug":"bulldogs-ink-top-slovak-recruit-sam-melaga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/230889\/","title":{"rendered":"Bulldogs Ink Top Slovak Recruit Sam Melaga"},"content":{"rendered":"

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DES MOINES, Iowa \u2014 The Bulldogs officially added standout recruit Sam Melaga from Slovakia to their roster for the upcoming spring season.<\/p>\n

“Sam is someone that really stood out during the recruiting process for having a good balance athletically and academically,” Head Coach Justin Stuckey<\/a> said. “Sam will really add to our competitiveness in singles and in doubles. We are excited he is a Bulldog and can’t wait for him to arrive in the spring.”<\/p>\n

Melaga has been consistently above a UTR of 11.50 throughout his junior career, reaching as high as 11.86 in singles this year. A dominant force in Slovak tennis, he is a two-time national champion in both singles and doubles, a J30 doubles champion in Trnava, and a finalist in both singles and doubles at multiple J30 tournaments. He has also represented the Slovak national team several times and held the title of Slovak No. 1 for four straight years.<\/p>\n

His parents are Vladimir Melaga and Katarina Melagova.<\/p>\n

“I chose Drake because it is a great university that will allow me to find balance between studying and playing tennis,” Melaga said. “It will also help me develop not only as a tennis player but also as a person.”

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