JUNE 13 • 2024 | 33
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enji Jacobson is an anomaly in the 
modern world of college athletics. 
The Bloomfield Hills native and 
2018 Jewish News High School Athlete of 
the Year stayed at the same university for 
his entire collegiate career.
Jacobson actually played on the Tulane 
University’s men’s tennis team for six years 
before his eligibility expired at the end of 
the season this spring.
He had the additional two years of eligi-
bility because he red-shirted his freshman 
season and took advantage of an extra year 
of eligibility granted to college athletes by 
the NCAA because of the shutdown of 
college sports caused by the COVID-19 
pandemic.
“There were lows during my time at 
Tulane. It wasn’t a linear career,” Jacobson 
said, referring to struggles on the court, 
injuries he suffered, recovering from a bad 
case of COVID that kept him out of action 
for a month, and having to leave school 
and return home for five months because 
of the pandemic.
“I have no regrets staying there for six 
years,” Jacobson said. “I worked hard to 
achieve what I did. I loved my coaches, 
who believed in me, and I loved my team-
mates, who became my best friends. Why 
leave? I couldn’t find a better scenario 
anywhere.”
All the hard work Jacobson put in cul-
minated in a great season this spring, the 
best season of his collegiate career. The 
doubles specialist went 22-8 in doubles 
matches.
He served as the team’s captain — “the 
greatest honor of my life,” he said — and 
was named Tulane’s Male Teammate of the 
Year.
“I’ve always considered myself a team 
player, so getting that award meant a lot to 
me,” he said.
Jacobson, 24, left Tulane, located in New 
Orleans, with two degrees.
After getting a bachelor’s degree in polit-
ical science, he earned a master’s degree in 
management with a concentration in real 

estate. 
He’s landed an internship this summer 
at Toll Brothers, a Fortune 500 home con-
struction company in Denver.
“I’ll spend time there in every depart-
ment, learning how it works and every-
one’s roles,” he said.
His competitive tennis career is over, he 
said, although he intends to play in tour-
naments for fun.
Before he headed to Denver, Jacobson 
checked off something on his bucket list. 
He attended the French Open tennis 
tournament in Paris in late May and early 
June. The tournament is played each 
spring on the iconic red clay courts at 
Roland Garros Stadium.
Jacobson went to Paris with his father, 
Michael, a former University of Colorado 
tennis player who also had the French 
Open on his bucket list, and his twin sister, 
Isabella, a University of Michigan grad 
who is employed as an assistant buyer at 
the Bergdorf Goodman department stores 
in New York City.
His mother Robyn remained back in the 
States.

Needless to say, Benji enjoyed watching 
the professional tennis players fight it out 
on the red clay.
“I’ve been to the U.S. Open. I’ve been 
to Wimbledon. Those tournaments were 
great. The French Open was unbelievable,” 
he said. “The matches are long and physi-
cally demanding. The ball moves at a slow-
er pace and bounces higher than on other 
courts. My sister isn’t a big tennis fan, but 
she loved watching the matches there, too.”
The Jacobson twins graduated in 2018 
from Cranbrook-Kingswood High School 
in Bloomfield Hills. They’re the fourth 
generation of their family to attend the 
school.
Benji put together quite a tennis resume 
at Cranbrook-Kingswood before he went 
to Tulane.
He was a three-time All-American, 
three-time state champion, and he 
was named “Mr. Tennis” in Michigan 
in Division 3 when he was a senior. 
He didn’t lose a set during his senior sea-
son. 

Send sports news to stevestein502004@yahoo.com.

After finishing an up-and-down tennis career at Tulane 
University on a high note, Benji Jacobson took a bucket list trip 
to Paris to watch the French Open.

Payoff for Perseverance

STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

SPORTS

Benji Jacobson (center), his father, Michael, and twin sister, Isabella, are in the stands at the 
main court at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris, home of the French Open tennis tournament.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

