About the Class Rankings
Each week, we update the Class Rankings for all boys and girls
classes. These lists use a weighted head-to-head ranking algorithm to
determine the top junior tennis players in the United States. These
lists are used by college coaches across the country at all levels as
a tool for college recruiting.
Players: Update Your Graduation Year!
The TennisRecruiting.net Class Rankings are unique in that they
are broken down by high school graduation year rather than age
or ability level. For this reason, we need to have your graduation
year on file to place you on the proper list. If you are a current
player, register for a free Basic Plan
and update your graduation year.
List Characteristics
The Class Rankings at TennisRecruiting.net have several characteristics
that make them different from other lists. Here are some characteristics
of this ranking system:
- As mentioned above, the Class Rankings are broken down
by high school graduation year.
- All matches across all age divisions for the past
twelve months from events that qualify are used in rankings
calculations.
- These lists use a head-to-head system rather than a points
system: the quality of your opponents matters while the round that you
reach in a particular tournament does not.
- To be eligible for the Class Rankings, a player must:
(1) compete in at least three US tournaments during the preceding
twelve-month period, and (2) win at least three matches over other
ranked players in those tournaments, two of which have to be over
players who are participation-eligible.
Frequently Asked Questions
For answers to more general questions about our rankings or this
web site, check out our Frequently Asked
Questions.
How often are the Class Rankings updated?
Lists are updated weekly: boys lists on Tuesdays, and girls lists
on Wednesdays.
How is my Class Ranking calculated?
The Class Rankings lists use a head-to-head system
that is a variant of the
Elo rating system.
Elo ratings are known to be very accurate and are widely used in
player-versus-player sports and games. In general the system rewards
players for beating higher-quality opponents - and penalizes players
for losses to lower-quality opponents. While a loss to someone ranked
high above you is not likely to penalize you, a win over that same
player can really help your ranking.
Why is my Class Ranking higher than my RPI rank?
The Class Rankings and RPI lists are different ranking
systems that use different criteria in their rankings. That said, the
rankings are often similar since there are many factors that keep them
in line with each other.
Consider the following example that could lower a player's RPI
ranking with no impact on the Class Ranking: a player defeats an
opponent with a very low ranking, a low win percentage, and a low
strength of schedule (SoS). Wins over players ranked far below will
not have much impact on a player's Class Ranking,
but the win will likely lower the RPI which factors in SoS.
I was looking at the Class Rankings, and I noticed a
2-star player mixed in with the 5-star and Blue Chip players near the
top of the list. What is going on?
Twice each year, TennisRecruiting.net awards its Star Ratings
based on the Class Rankings.
Over the course of the year, player rankings can increase or
decrease substantially, resulting in players with "lower" ratings
showing up near the top of the lists. Such players have improved their
play.
Likewise, since the rankings only use results from the past twelve
months, a player who stops competing and lets his player record
shorten may see his/her rankings decrease.
