Men's Tennis Honored by Board of Trustees for Historic Season

NJIT President Teik C. Lim and the NJIT Board of Trustees recognized the NJIT men's tennis team on Thursday, Sep. 19, inside the Central King Building for the Highlanders' historic 2023 season, which culminated in a Southland Conference championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

"I want to thank the Board of Trustees and Dr. Lim for this acknowledgment, along with Director of Athletics Lenny Kaplan for his support and trust," Head Coach Marco Matteucci said. "It not only honors the hard work and dedication that our student-athletes have put in over these last three years, but also reflects the strong support of the entire NJIT athletic department. It's a proud moment for our team, and we are humbled by this recognition."

The conference title was the first for the men's tennis program at any level. The team went a perfect 10-0 at home during the regular season, and its 19 wins set a new single-season program mark. The Highlanders were ranked for just the second time ever, reaching as high as No. 57 in the ITA National Rankings. Pablo Perez Ramos, who was named the MVP of the Southland Conference Tournament, went 18-2 at the top singles position for NJIT to post the most successful individual season in program history.

Fellow team captain Wil Jenkins had a strong season as well for NJIT, posting a 16-3 mark in No. 2 singles action in 2023. Jenkins and Perez Ramos teamed up at the No. 1 doubles position, winning 16 matches during the campaign. Three other Highlanders posted double-digit victories on the season, including Oscar Callo von Platen (16), Pavel Petroc (13) and Nejc Skorjanc (10).

"The accomplishments listed in this proclamation are certainly ones that we are very proud of but never would have occurred if we did not have the support of this great University and our Athletics Department," said Jenkins, who spoke on behalf of the team during the recognition. "This experience has caused us to realize how special an opportunity we have to not only play tennis and qualify for the NCAA Tournament, but also to attend this outstanding academic institution."