Lev Kashchuk

Originally from Russia, Lev trains in Clearwater, Florida. He is an exceptional student with nearly perfect grades, but his abilities extend far beyond the classroom. Lev possesses a huge tennis game, tremendous natural talent, and the ability to strike the ball at an extremely high level.

His potential was never in question. The next step was developing the consistency required to compete at that level every day.

Lev was also clear about where he wanted to continue his journey. Staying in Florida was a major priority. He wanted to remain close to his current home and training base while having the opportunity to compete in individual tournaments on weekends when his college schedule allowed.

That gave our search a very specific focus.

We spoke with coaches at several Florida universities, looking for a program that could match Lev’s academic profile, support his tournament ambitions, and—most importantly—provide the demanding tennis environment he needed.

One school consistently stood out: Saint Leo University.

Located near Tampa and within a reasonable distance of Clearwater, Saint Leo allowed Lev to stay connected to the place where he had already built his life and developed his game. The university offered strong academics, high-level Division II tennis, a beautiful campus, and a competitive team culture.

The biggest difference, however, was the coach.

Saint Leo’s coach has an outstanding reputation for developing players. He demands a great deal from his team and holds every player to a high standard, but that intensity produces results. Players improve, the team competes together, and everyone is expected to contribute to a positive and ambitious environment.

The moment Lev visited Saint Leo, he felt the connection. After seeing the campus, meeting the coach, and spending time around the team, he knew it was the right place for him.

Lev understands that he may initially enter toward the lower end of a very strong roster. For him, that was not a reason to choose another school—it was one of the reasons to choose Saint Leo.

Being surrounded by accomplished players will keep him hungry. Every practice will require focus, consistency, and resilience. Nothing will be guaranteed, and that daily competition is exactly what can help Lev transform his enormous potential into a complete college game.

This placement is even more special because Lev trains at the same academy as another Recruited placement, Hirotaka “Hiro” Arishima. The two friends will now begin their Saint Leo journeys together, supporting and challenging one another as teammates—and potentially becoming doubles partners in the future.

With its demanding coaching, strong team atmosphere, excellent academics, Florida location, and clear pathway for development, Saint Leo became the complete fit Lev was searching for.

We are incredibly excited for him. Lev has the intelligence to excel academically, the talent to become an outstanding college player, and the drive to embrace the difficult work ahead.

Saint Leo is gaining a gifted student-athlete with tremendous upside, and we cannot wait to watch Lev improve, earn his opportunities, and make his mark on the program.

We’re proud to be part of his journey.