Utah State Men's Tennis Earns Highest Ranking in School History

Utah State men's tennis earned the No. 49 spot in the latest Oracle/ITA poll released by the organization on Tuesday. The ranking is the highest in program history, topping the previous mark of No. 56 reached last season.

“This ranking is a testament to the hard work the team has put in throughout the year,” said first-year USU head coach James Wilson. “I think they realize that we are capable of going higher in the rankings, and they are by no means content. We will continue to take it one step at a time and prepare our best for each match. This weekend, we will have two great opportunities to build on the momentum we've gained so far.”

The Aggies are coming off a week where they posted a close loss at No. 45 Cal Poly, 4-3, before sweeping past Loyola Marymount and Georgetown with a pair of 4-0 wins. On the year, USU also topped then-No. 12 TCU on the road, and has faced seven teams in the current top 50.

Junior Jaime Barajas and sophomore Samuel Serrano lead the way for Utah State as both have 9-4 singles records in dual matches, while sophomore Jonas Maier is 8-5, and senior Jack Swindells is 8-7. In doubles, Serrano and junior Kai Wehnelt are 8-5, while Maier and Swindells are 7-6. With its 10-7 mark this year, Utah State has reached double-figure wins for the third-consecutive year, a feat not accomplished since 1984-86.

Utah State is back in action this weekend with a pair of matches as it hosts Pacific on Friday, March 17, at 11 a.m., and Idaho on Sunday, March 19, at 2 p.m. Both matches are slated to be played outdoors on the campus of Utah State, however inclement weather can move the matches to the Sports Academy & Racquet Club.

Fans can follow USU's men's tennis team on Twitter @USUMensTennis, on Facebook at UtahStateMensTennis or on Instagram at USUTennis. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program on Twitter at @USUAthletics, on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics or on Instagram at @USUAthletics.