Pennington Announces Incoming Class

9/3/2026 10:27:00 AM | By: Dylan Rippe

Four newcomers join men's tennis roster

HAMILTON – Bobby Pennington and the Colgate men's tennis program announced the addition of four student-athletes for the 2026-27 season.

"I'm very pleased overall with our incoming class," coach Pennington said. "We got four quality student-athletes. Jack Babka had an incredible summer rising to the top 175 nationally. Caleb Sammer is training in Prague for the semester and should be back healthy and ready to go for the spring. Jacob Thomas is a lefty who is extremely talented from Arizona and rounding out our class is a tall lefty, Declan Hessler from New York City who has a lot of raw potential."

The newcomers hail from Boston, New York, Arizona, and Dallas and bring a wealth of experience.

Jack Babka
5-11 | 165
Boston, Mass.

Babka joins the program following a decorated six-year varsity career at the Noble and Greenough School. A 2026 graduate and two-time team captain for the Bulldogs, the tennis standout compiled a 68-14 career singles record from eighth grade through his senior year, capping his prep campaign with a dominant 17-1 mark in both singles and doubles. A five-time All-ISL selection (2022-2026), he also earned All-NEPSAC First Team honors twice (2024, 2026) alongside two All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention nods (2023, 2025), while guiding Nobles to three consecutive ISL runner-up finishes and back-to-back NEPSAC semifinal appearances (2025, 2026). On the individual circuit, he finished as the runner-up in the 2026 Boys' 18s USTA New England Summer Sectionals.

Declan Hessler
6-3 | 160
New York, N.Y.

Hessler joins the program after a stellar four-year varsity career at Salisbury School following his time at The Browning School. A 2026 graduate and senior team captain for the Knights, he capped off his prep tenure with a dominant 30-3 senior record, earning First-Team All-NEPSAC and team Most Valuable Player honors. A multi-sport athlete, he also competed in soccer, football, and basketball, capturing a SNETL Championship. Off the court, he consistently maintained Honor Roll academic standing throughout high school.

Caleb Sammer
5-11 | 165
Dallas, Texas

Sammer is a 2026 graduate of iUniversity Prep who previously attended Highland Park High School, he compiled an 11-3 varsity record during his 2022-23 campaign at Highland Park, finishing as the Class 6A District individual runner-up and advancing to the Regional quarterfinals while contributing to the Scots' storied state champion team tennis program. He has competed at the highest levels of USTA and UTR competition, including USTA Level 1 national tournaments. Ranked as high as top-15 in Texas and top-200 nationally, he reached recruiting rankings of No. 12 in Texas and No. 174 in the nation for the Class of 2026.

Jacob Thomas
5-6 | 145
Peoria, Ariz.

Thomas joins the program after a stellar prep career in Arizona. A 2026 graduate of Aspire Online Academy who also attended Mountain Ridge High School, he made history by leading his program to its first-ever state final. He compiled a standout high school record, including an undefeated final season on the court, and earned 6A Arizona State Finalist and 6A Arizona State Semifinalist honors. Off the court, he was a member of the National Honor Society and earned a Presidential Scholarship in recognition of his academic achievement.

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Four newcomers join men's tennis roster

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