TEMPE, Ariz. – Leo Vithoontien's (Bangkok, Thailand/Bangkok Patana School) senior year of tennis ended in the best way possible—by winning both the NCAA Division III Singles and Doubles Championships. Not surprisingly, the top men's tennis player in Carleton College history was selected as both the National and Central Region Senior Player of the Year by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).
 
A five-time ITA All-American, he finished the season ranked No. 1 in the nation in both singles and doubles.
 
Vithoontien went 13-0 en route to the Division III singles title this spring. He was 11-2 in doubles, and captured his second national title by pairing with Xander Zuczek (Sr./Westerly, R.I./St. Bernard) to win the NCAA doubles crown.
 
Vithoontien previously received the MIAC's Arthur Ashe Award, which recognizes outstanding sportsmanship and exemplary athletic, academic, and humanitarian accomplishments. He earned All-MIAC selection six times, netting the accolade in both singles and doubles for 2018, 2019, and 2021 with no awards distributed in 2020.
 
"As everybody can appreciate, this was a challenging season for all sports programs across the nation, and we all had doubts as to whether we would be able to compete," said Carleton head coach Stephan Zweifel. "But Leo's work ethic and leadership were instrumental in maintaining the positive energy on our team, and making this season a success for Carleton Tennis."
 
During his time with Carleton, Vithoontien was an elite singles player, earning All-America recognition all four years. He owned an overall 78-9 singles ledger, with all but two of those matches—a pair of victories at No. 2 singles during his rookie season—coming atop the Knights' lineup. He went 16-2 at the preseason ITA Midwest Regional, 0-3 at the ITA Cup (aka Small College Championships), 49-2 during the regular season, 3-0 in the MIAC Playoffs, and 10-2 at the NCAA Singles Championships. Vithoontien was 18-1 in MIAC play, during regular-season conference matches, with that lone setback coming during his first year on campus. He qualified for the NCAA Championships three times (no tournament in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic) and was the national runner-up in 2019.
 
Vithoontien also enjoyed success in doubles, reaching the NCAA Championships with Jordon O'Kelly in 2019 before making the title run with Zuczek in 2021.
 
Vithoontien went 61-14 overall in doubles during his career, including a 58-13 mark at No. 1 doubles. He was 9-3 in three trips to the ITA Midwest Regional, reaching the semifinals each time. He went 43-9 during the regular season, 5-1 in the MIAC Playoffs, and 4-1 at the NCAA Championships.
 
"To watch Leo play tennis is to watch someone do the thing they truly love," said Zweifel. "It is also the stage where you will see Leo's character on full display—thoughtful, patient, and gracious. He is fiercely competitive, yet at the same time is one of the most kind and honest individuals I have met in the sport. One can readily see the respect Leo has for the game and his opponents."