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Associate mug of Kenny Connolly, Anaheim reporter.

Date shot: 12/31/2012 . Photo by KATE LUCAS /  ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

The tennis team might not be a powerhouse, but the academic institution itself is one of the finest in the country.

Crean Lutheran senior tennis player Karthik Nair signed a commitment to play at Caltech on Wednesday, becoming just the fourth Saints player in the program’s young history to continue competing at the collegiate level.

“He’s an outstanding academic student and such a solid, trustworthy person,” Crean Lutheran coach T.J. Reynolds said of Nair. “He’s a humble guy and he’d never tell you about all his academic accomplishments unless you asked him about it.”

Nair grew up in Moscow where his father owns a business before moving to Orange County, but he continues to speak fluent Russian. Enrolled in honors and advanced placement courses, Nair holds a 4.3-plus GPA and has maintained a high-level on the tennis court, where he’s currently ranked No. 68 amongst seniors in California.

While he’s recovering from a wrist injury at the moment, Nair is slated to represent Crean Lutheran on the singles side at the prestigious Ojai Tournament next week.

Nair will be one of three Orange County players on Caltech’s roster next season, joining Morgan Lebby (Laguna Beach) and Derik Nguyen (Canyon) at the Pasadena-based college.

Contact the writer: kconnolly@ocregister.com