Calvelo becomes first Aggie in over 55 years to advance to NCAA Individuals Championship

Utah State University tennis player Xavier Calvelo will attend the NCAA individual championships on Nov. 17-22 as the first national competitor in USU’s new Pac-12 era.  

According to Daniel Hansen, the current assistant communications coordinator for USU, it’s been over 55 years since Men’s Tennis last participated in the NCAA Division 1 Men’s Individual Tennis Championships, with four participants from Utah State who attended the match in 1970.  

Calvelo expressed his excitement to be competing at the championship level, saying how it feels incredible and akin to something he only could have “dreamed of as a kid.” 

“I enjoy playing. … Whatever challenges are ahead, whoever I play, I’m always excited to see what I can do,” Calvelo said.   

Calvelo was born in the Philippines, but his family now primarily resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

He has four older siblings, two of whom are currently serving in the U.S. military in Germany and Guam. Calvelo’s family supports him from afar as he continues his journey to the championships this fall. 

“Because I was born in the Philippines … there’s not a lot of opportunities there to even go to the U.S. and have an education,” Calvelo said. “For me to be here, have an education and then be playing what I would consider a high level of tennis, it’s all just been incredible.” 

According to the 2026 USU tennis roster, Calvelo began his tennis career at Southern Methodist University, where he went 16-8 in singles and charted a new SMU record of 13-10 in doubles play. 

Calvelo transferred to USU and joined the Aggies in 2025. Once joining the USU team, Calvelo climbed to new levels, reaching 84th in ITA doubles rankings and recorded an unbeaten streak of 15 wins in singles play. 

Men’s Tennis head coach Aaron Paajanen mentioned how Calvelo was discussed in 2025 as one of the nation’s most improved players of the year. 

“It’s very obvious just from a results standpoint how much better he’s gotten,” Paajanen said. “It’s clear to everybody who’s followed his tennis career from when he got here to where he is now.” 

The men’s team has recorded several records since Paajanen began coaching for USU in 2019, doubling the number of participations in NCAA team championships within a single year.  

Paajanen stated that there wasn’t one single reason for the team’s success, but rather it was a matter of adapting to the strengths and weaknesses of individual players. 

“Rosters change quite a bit,” Paajanen said, “so it’s my job to quickly recognize … what they all need in order to get them in the best position to get better — to continue to develop.”   

Additionally, the men’s team won the Mountain West Championship and reached the ITA ranking of 51st in the 2025-26 season, making it their highest ranking since 2018.

On May 1, the men’s team competed at the NCAA team championships against University of Oklahoma and was eliminated within the first round of the tournament.  

The men’s team has been close to qualifying for several other national matches in the past, including many other players from the men’s team, not just Calvelo.  

“It’s basically exciting to get somebody through. We’ve been close before,” Paajanen said. “When it was in the spring, we had some singles players close to the national rankings, and some doubles teams close to the national rankings that would have potentially gotten us there.” 

Though Calvelo was the only Aggie during the qualifying meet to make it to the championships, his fellow team members still have a chance to earn their way during the Pac-12 qualifier tournament in Spokane, Washington on Oct. 23-25.  

At this qualifier, USU junior Eliot Nobel and USU freshman George Hakopian will have another shot at the NCAA championships. If either player wins the qualifier, then performs well at the postseason master’s tournament, they will have an opportunity to compete at nationals. 

Though the team’s fall season is coming to an end, there will be an opportunity for spectators to attend the spring matches starting in January. According to Calvelo and Paajanen, the matches are free for spectators and will be held at the Sports Academy & Racquet Club in Logan. 

“College tennis, right now, is at the highest it’s ever been,” Paajanen said, “so people in town — if they enjoy sports, if they enjoy good athletes — it’s free to come out and watch us.” 

Five freshmen joined the men’s team this fall season. Calvelo mentioned how he’s never really seen himself as a leader during past years. However, this season, he’s felt himself step into a leadership role. Calvelo says he’s found himself having to “guide them a little bit” and that the new team members have been doing “super well so far.” 

“They’re all looking up to me … and they’re all seeking advice,” Calvelo said. “I think it helps being a leader by example.” 

Currently, Calvelo is on a streak of five consecutive wins. As Calvelo prepares to head to the championship in November, his primary goal is to train himself mentally for the match. 

“It’s hard to describe,” Calvelo said. “In my own time, I just kind of picture myself not just playing NCAAs but performing even further than that.” 

Calvelo hopes to continue to grow as a player with the “bigger picture” of someday becoming a professional tennis player. 

“I don’t really know how far it’s going to take me,” Calvelo said, “but if it could take me as far as No. 1 in the world, then why not give it a shot?”