Spartans Conclude Fall with National-High Eight in ITA Rankings

EAST LANSING, MICH. - Michigan State Men's tennis put a cherry on top of an already historic fall as four singles players and four Spartan doubles teams were ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's rankings update on Wednesday.

8⃣ ranked in singles and doubles, the MOST in the nation! Whole 'lotta Green in the latest ITA Rankings 💪#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/GTvFU3Owll
— Michigan State Men's Tennis (@MSU_MTennis) November 15, 2023

A historic fall for head coach Harry Jadun's squad in several aspects saw an increased number and improved rankings from the three singles players and two doubles teams ranked in the ITA's preseason list, now tallying the most total ranked players and doubles teams nationally with eight. The four ranked doubles pairings also ties the national high from a single program.

"For us to have eight singles players and doubles teams ranked, the most in the nation is pretty special," said Jadun. "To get that recognition is amazing, but the guys are sharp, and they know that the team season is in the Spring and that's where they have to prove themselves and that the only rankings that matter are at the end of the season."

To start, look to junior Max Sheldon and sophomore Ozan Baris who together concluded MSU's fall season with the program's first ever national title at the ITA Fall National Championships on Nov. 5. Sheldon and Baris stayed in the No. 2 national spot in doubles, remaining the highest ranked Spartan duo in Michigan State history.

In singles, Baris, previously ranked 25th, became the highest ranked singles player in MSU history at No. 6 after winning the highly-regarded Battle in the Bay title and battling to a semifinal appearance at the ITA All-American Championships. The young Okemos, Mich. native went 13-3 in the fall and notched a team-best eight ranked wins, six over top-25 opponents.

Also improving in the singles rankings was Ronald Hohmann III, improving from No. 37 to No. 12. In his first fall with the Spartans Hohmann went 8-4, landing runner-up at the Battle in the Bay and collecting five ranked wins, two over top-25 players.

Sebastien Collard, also in his first fall at Michigan State, paired with Sheldon to go 4-0 and win the doubles title at the historic Milwaukee Tennis Classic in September, deserving them the No. 29 spot in the latest rankings.

Baris and Hohmann, who kicked off the season going 3-0 together en-route to a doubles title at the Gamecock Ranked Invite, were slotted as the No. 41 doubles pairing.

The pairing of experienced grad transfers Hohmann and Collard together as teammates for the first time found success fighting out of the qualifying round to a 3-1 record at the ITA All-American Championships, earning them the No. 45 spot in the doubles rankings.

In the rankings in a third separate place, Sheldon found himself in the singles rankings for the first time in his career at No. 59. The Arlington Heights, Illinois native brandished a strong 6-3 singles record this fall, including a ranked win.

Also making the ITA's list for the first time is senior Graydon Lair at the No. 116 singles position. Perhaps the most improved Spartan this fall, Lair made an inspiring run at the ITA Midwest Regionals and posted a 4-4 fall record with a ranked win.

In just his second year at the helm of the program, Jadun's squad has a historic fall behind them to help build for the spring season in which excitement and even more improvement will be imminent.

Fall Competition Accolades