PORTLAND, Ore. – University of Portland men's tennis will welcome Cade Fernando to the program as a freshman for the 2022-23 season, head coach Aaron Gross announced on Saturday. Fernando comes from West Linn High School and is the third-highest rated Oregon prep graduate according to the Universal Tennis Rating (UTR).

"We are really pleased to have Cade join us," Gross said. "Based on his age, he actually could be a junior in high school so we are projecting big things for him based on his tennis path so far and his high potential skill set. Cade has grown quite a bit in the last year. He has one of the biggest serves I've seen for a 17-year-old – it's a cannon. He is a good athlete that moves well, can play all court, and I think has great potential in doubles. He's joining a veteran team and will have the opportunity to be mentored by some amazing guys. The sky is the limit for Cade's growth and I'm looking forward to helping him reach his potential."

Fernando will join a Portland squad that finished third in the West Coast Conference standings behind NCAA Tournament participants and nationally-ranked San Diego and Pepperdine. The Pilots are expected to return all six players that were featured in singles lineup that finished the season.