Southwestern's Hunter Bajoit became the first men's tennis player to earn a Top 25 national ranking in back-to-back ranking periods in program history by claiming the No. 25 spot in the latest ITA National Rankings. 

Coming off an All-American season in the spring of 2021, Bajoit became the first Southwestern men's tennis player to advance to the ITA Regional Singles Championship, posting wins over other nationally-ranked opponents in Hao Nguyen (29) and Alessio Azzalini (30) of Trinity. 

Bajoit posted a 12-2 record last season, earning a share of the SCAC Player of the Year Award and All-American honors by ending the season as the No. 17-ranked player.

"It's a great accomplishment for Hunter to be a Top 25 player in back-to-back ranking periods as that is something that has never been accomplished before," Southwestern tennis head coach Billy Porter says. 

In addition to Bajoit's ranking in singles, he and teammate Hemanshu Rambojun were ranked No. 20 in the doubles rankings. Rambojun returned to Southwestern this fall after a year's absence, and the duo picked up where they left off, finishing as runner-ups in the ITA Regional Championships for the second time in three years. 

"Not having Hemanshu last year was something we felt," Porter says. "This is his second ranking period as part of a Top 20 doubles team in the country with Hunter." 

Bajoit was also ranked fifth in the West Region in singles and fifth in doubles along with Rambojun. 

"Only having one singles player in the Regional Rankings is disappointing as we are used to having multiple players in there," Porter says. "It's a nice reminder that we have work to do with a roster hungry of guys that are ready to step up."

Southwestern will open the spring season as the No. 10-ranked team in the nation.