LOGAN, Utah – Utah State men's tennis had five Aggies named to the Mountain West All-Tournament Team the league announced on Thursday. Senior Jean-Baptiste Badon and sophomores Xavier Calvelo, Roman Venger and Eliot Nobel all earned spots on the singles team while Calvelo and freshman Jakub Medved plus Nobel and Venger received nods to the doubles team. Badon also was named the MW Tournament MVP.

Badon earned all-tournament and MVP honors after going 2-0 in singles play during the tournament and posting the clinching point in Utah State's 4-3 win in the championship match. Against Nevada in round one, the senior from Los Angeles was one point away from victory in his singles match before the clinching point was reached elsewhere. Against UNLV in the semifinals, Badon defeated the MW Player of the Year and the ITA's 65th-ranked singles player in the nation, 6-3, 6-2, in a crucial match for the Aggies to eventually score the 4-3 win and advance to the championship match. In the title match against Boise State, Badon stormed back from a dropped first set and outlasted his Bronco opponent in a third-set tiebreaker for a 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory to clinch the tournament championship.

Calvelo went 1-1 in singles matches during the tournament while playing at the second position. The sophomore from Las Vegas held a 4-2 lead in the third set of his match against the Wolf Pack before the clinching point was earned elsewhere. In USU's 4-3 semifinal win over the Rebels, Calvelo provided the clinching point, dominating the final set in a 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 win to send the Aggies into the championship round.

Venger was the lone Aggie to post three singles wins during the tournament, beginning with the clinching victory against Nevada in the quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-3 win at the third position. The sophomore from Lviv, Ukraine, then posted a 6-5, 2-6, 6-0 win against the Rebels in the semifinals, tying the match at 3-3 to set up Calvelo's clinching win. Venger then repeated the clutch performance in the championship match, again tying the match at 3-3 to set up the Aggie victory, posting a 6-3, 6-4 win at No. 3 singles.

Nobel went 2-0 in singles play on the weekend. The sophomore from Stockholm, Sweden, began the tournament with a three-set match against Nevada in the opening round, winning the second frame, 6-2, to force a final frame before the match was abandoned. Against UNLV in the semifinals, Nobel turned the tide following the Rebels capturing of the doubles point, posting a 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 4 singles to tie the match at 1-1. Nobel again switched the momentum in the championship match, responding to back-to-back Bronco points with a 6-4, 6-3 win to tie the match at 2-2.

The duo of Calvelo and Medved earned their spot on the All-Tournament Doubles team with a 2-1 weekend at the top spot in the lineup. The pair began by providing the clinching win for the doubles point in USU's quarterfinal win over Nevada. In the championship round, Calvelo and Medved posted a 6-3 win over their Bronco opponents to help the Aggies to a 1-0 lead to begin the match. The pair's lone defeat of the weekend also came in a lengthy tiebreaker in the semifinals in a 7-6 (8) loss.

Venger and Nobel posted one doubles victory during the tournament but led each of their other two matches before leaving both abandoned. The duo began the weekend with a dominant 6-1 win to help the Aggies earn the doubles point against Nevada. In the semifinals against the Rebels, Venger and Nobel were in a tiebreaker but held a 5-0 lead before having the match abandoned. In the championship match against BSU, the pair were ahead 6-5 and at match point before USU clinched the doubles point, leaving the match unfinished.

Up Next
The Aggies head into the NCAA Men's Tennis Championship with a first-round matchup at No. 9 Oklahoma on Friday, May 1, at 3 p.m. (MT). Should USU win, they would face the winner between Duke and USC on Saturday, May 2, at 4 p.m. (MT).

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

- USU -