LOGAN, Utah - Utah State men's tennis received a program-best five ITA Men's Regional Awards, it was announced on Tuesday. Head coach Aaron Paajanen was named the ITA/Dunlop Coach of the Year while assistant coach Sergiu Bucur was named the ITA Assistant Coach of the Year. Sophomore Xavier Calvelo was named both the ITA Most Improved Player and the ITA Player to Watch for the region, and senior Jean-Baptiste Badon was named the ITA Senior Player of the Year.

Paajanen becomes just the second Aggie coach to ever be named the ITA Region Coach of the Year, joining Clancy Shields in 2016. Paajanen led the Aggies to Mountain West regular season and tournament titles, also earning the program's third-ever berth in the NCAA Championships. Paajenen helped the Aggies to an undefeated 7-0 record in MW play, only the second time in program history the team has gone undefeated in conference play. USU's 19 wins this season were the most since 2017 while the team also set a program record with six consecutive sweeps.

Bucur is only the second assistant coach to be named the ITA Assistant Coach of the Year for the Aggies, joining Benjamin Mullis in 2017. After a decorated playing career for USU from 2017-21, Bucur rejoined the Aggies as an assistant coach just before the 2026 dual match season to help USU to its pair of conference titles.

Calvelo and Badon become just the third and fourth Aggie players to ever earn ITA Region awards across men's and women's tennis, following Isaac Arevalo Gomez being named the ITA Rookie of the Year in 2019 and Utah State women's tennis player McKenzie Davis earning Senior Player of the Year honors in 2015.

In his lone season at Utah State, Badon led the Aggies to MW regular season and tournament titles, earning spots on the all-MW singles and doubles teams and also being named the MW Tournament MVP after recording the championship-clinching point in the title match against Boise State. Badon went an undefeated 6-0 in singles matches against MW competition, also leading a further four matches which were left unfinished. In the fall tournament season, Badon reached the semifinals of the ITA Mountain Regional Championships, qualifying for the ITA West Sectional Championships. He was also named to the CSC Academic All-District Team.

Calvelo posted a team-best 24-6 singles record this past year, including a 17-3 mark in dual matches while playing at the No. 2 position. Calvelo recorded a 15-match unbeaten streak, posting 11 wins during a stretch which included all of MW action. Calvelo went 6-0 in MW play, recording straight-set wins in all six matches, ultimately earning spots on the all-MW singles and doubles teams and also being named to the MW All-Tournament team. 
 
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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.

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