TEMPE, Arizona— The Idaho men's tennis teams' doubles duo of
Esteban Santibanez and
Francisco Bascon have moved into the ITA NCAA Division I Men's Doubles rankings this week.
Bascon and Santibanez debut at No. 72 in the rankings after compiling a 6-1 record so far on the season. The duo's only loss was to Portland's Tom Hann and Kostya Nesterenko earlier in the year. Since the loss, the pair have won four consecutive matches, all in the No. 1 spot.
Bascon, a freshman, and Santibanez a senior, began their time together in the fall before transitioning into dual matches this spring. Esteban partnered with
Bruno Casino in the Gonzaga Tournament this past fall and won. Following the tournament, Santibanez and Casino earned the 50
th ranking in the final fall ITA NCAA Division I Men's Doubles Rankings.
In their first dual match of the season, Santibanez and Bascon topped Utah's Russell Benkaim and Randy Cory in the No. 1 spot. In the latest rankings, Cory and Bankaim are ranked 37
th overall and are 12-3 on the season.
Santibanez and Bascon are ranked just ahead of Connor Johnston and Ondrej Styler from Michigan and are the only Big Sky doubles team ranked in this week's rankings.
"This is a great accomplishment for Esteban and Francisco," said Head Coach
Daniel Hangstefer. "They have been working hard to represent the university and it is paying off. This is the second time Esteban has been ranked this year."
Up next, the doubles pair will face their first conference opponent of the season with a Big Sky matchup at home against Weber State on Friday, Mar. 6
th, at 5 p.m. before taking on Idaho State the next day at 6 p.m.
ITA NCAA Division I Men's Doubles Rankings No. 70-80
70. Devincentis/Stice Auburn
71. Chopra/Martin Georgia Tech
72. Santibanez/Bascon Idaho
73. Johnston/Styler Michigan
74. Ito/Woldeab Texas
75.Colas/Ramskogler Mississippi State
76. Chakravarthi/Vaise SMU
77. Soderlund/Lord Virgina
78. Hulme/Reekie Omaha
79. Furman/Keist Duke
80. Pelletier/Brown South Carolina
