From JUCO to Orlando: South Florida’s Car Exemplifies Role and Impact of Junior College Experience

TEMPE, Ariz. – From junior college to the Division I Men’s NCAA Singles Championships, Hugo Car, now a graduate student at the University of South Florida, is a shining example of the rise and competitiveness of the JUCO level and its role as a major pathway in the sport.

Car, who became South Florida’s first individual to reach the NCAA Singles Championship in more than 20 years last November, began his career at the JUCO level at Eastern Florida State College. Ranked as the top JUCO player in the country in 2024, Car won the JUCO National Championship title in singles that spring, paving the way for an opportunity in the Division I game.

“I knew I had two years to give my best every day to be able to go where I wanted to,” Car said. “Those two years made me think that I will have to take all the chances that will be possible. With this mentality, I built myself around goals and determination, which made me win a national title and be the number one player in the country.”

After the 2024 campaign, Car made the leap and joined the Bulls for the 2024-25 season, in which he went 16-3 in singles to earn American Conference Player of the Year honors. In the fall of 2025, Car clinched a spot in the men’s individual singles championship after sporting a preseason ranking of No. 32 in the ITA’s national singles polls, meeting eventual champion Michael Zheng (Columbia) in the opening round of the tournament.

Car’s case exemplifies the major role junior college plays in the sport, often serving as a feeder system to higher divisions and playing levels. He’s one of the many examples whose current Division I, II or III status can be tied back to a junior college tenure.

Since the 2023 season, more than 45 men and women who earned All-American honors at the JUCO level are now playing at a higher level in college tennis, including more than two dozen at a Division I university.

“Everything is possible, it’s not where you start but where you finish,” Car added. “The two years in JUCO are two years that serve to shape your identity and determine the person you want to be. Use them as a stepping stone to get into Division I. Give your best every day, it will pay off.”

The University of Kansas’ Yerkezhan Arystanbekova first joined the Jayhawks for the 2025 spring season fresh off of a run at Cowley College. In 2024, she won both the national JUCO singles title and the team championship, ending the season as the top-ranked singles player and No. 2 in doubles. Upon arriving at Kansas, Arystanbekova primarily played at No. 5 in the starting singles lineup last spring, while tallying 10 wins in doubles action across courts Nos. 2 and 3. This spring, she’s played as high as No. 2 for the Jayhawks.

Bruno Nhavene, a senior at the University of Oklahoma, ascended to Division I following a highly productive stint at Cowley College (2023-24). In his first year with the Sooners, Nhavene went 26-11 and achieved a career-best ITA doubles ranking of No. 10 in the country, competing in the 2024 NCAA Individual Championships.

Another Cowley College product, senior Arina Babenko smoothly transitioned to the Division I game after she played a pivotal role in delivering a team national championship title for Cowley in 2024. Babenko was the No. 2 ranked singles player in the final ITA NJCAA rankings of 2024, which propelled her to spending her junior season with Division I UTSA. Babenko went 16-1 in singles and 9-4 in doubles for the Roadrunners. The Russia native will spend her senior season at the University of Arkansas, transferring to the Razorbacks in June 2025.

“My time in JUCO played a huge role in shaping my game and mindset,” Babenko said. “It allowed me to gain match experience, build confidence and develop discipline that translated directly to the Division I level. I’m grateful for that path because it prepared me to embrace challenges and continue improving against strong competition.”

“JUCO played a major role in my development, especially as an international student looking for support and structure,” said Emma Patton, who was an All-American in singles at Seward County College in 2025 before transferring to New Mexico State. “The strong sense of community and emphasis on discipline helped me build confidence and resilience. That foundation prepared me for the demands and pressure of Division I tennis and allowed me to reach a level I don’t think I could have achieved otherwise.”

Junior colleges all over the country – from California’s American River College to Florida’s St. Petersburg Community College – continue to develop and produce talent that graduates to the highest levels of the sport. For the list of JUCO All-Americans dating back to the 2023 season now playing at a Division I, II, III or NAIA school, continue reading below.

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