The achievements of Kael Shah ’26 merited a summer of celebration and relaxation, a time to enjoy the spoils of being an NCAA champion and a national runner-up in singles play.
But Shah is not one to lounge in a hammock, lie on a beach or, most importantly, rest on his laurels.
So not long after helping the Denison men’s tennis team win its first NCAA Division III championship in late May, he grabbed his racket and passport and returned to competition. The Kenyan native represented his nation in Davis Cup action. He played tournaments across Africa. He made history in Germany by capturing Kenya’s first tennis medal in the World University Games, pairing with Angella Okutoyi to win silver in mixed doubles.
“It’s been the best year of my life,” Shah said.
Arriving on campus for his senior year, Shah isn’t satisfied. He looks to become a more vocal team leader, maintain the stellar grades that made him an Academic All-American, and help the Big Red win back-to-back NCAA titles.
“Kael is the epitome of what a Denison student-athlete should be,” head coach David Schilling said. “He excels in his studies, he excels on the court, and he excels as a person.”
Finding his home on The Hill
Shah’s decorated collegiate career started with what he calls, “one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
Schilling had recruited him and teammate Andreas Chapides ’26 while they were classmates at Emilio Sanchez American School in Barcelona, Spain. Chapides committed to Denison while Shah opted for Drexel University in Philadelphia.
Within months, however, Shah reconnected with Schilling and asked if there was still a place for him on the Big Red tennis team. He transferred after one semester and reunited with Chapides, who he has known since they were 14.
President Adam Weinberg tells incoming students not to worry if they experience initial struggles, ensuring them all first-years go through an adjustment period. Shah, who arrived midway through the academic year, dealt with early adversity on the court.
While his talent was obvious, he had never played for a coach as demanding as Schilling or operated in a team-first environment.
“Kael is a laid-back kid, and not a lot of things faze him,” Schilling said. “He’s almost too humble in a lot of ways. We’ve worked with him on playing with emotion and with high energy.”
Shah embraced the challenge. He blossomed as a sophomore, helping the Big Red make the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time while becoming the first Denison men’s player to reach a singles final.
His recruiting class, which includes Chapides, Ethan Green ’26, Jacob Patterson ’26, and Anthony Payiavlas ’26, has evolved into one of the greatest in Denison athletics history. All five were instrumental in the 2025 NCAA title run.
“I’ve never been more connected to a group of people than my teammates here at Denison,” Shah said. “We’re a super-competitive group that pushes each other to win.”
Reaching the next level
Shah, a global commerce major, laughs at the memory of a three-week break from tennis he took two years ago.
“It was a mistake,” he said, smiling. “It was too long. I had a hard time getting going again.”
Shah went right back to work after the 2024 NCAA tournament. He logged more summer matches than almost any Division III player in the country.
Returning to campus as a junior, his game went to the next level.
Shah and Green made program history by reaching the doubles semifinals of the ITA Cup in the fall of 2024, while Shah qualified for the tournament final in singles. He carried that momentum into the spring, setting a school record for singles wins (33) in a season. He’s already the program’s all-time leader in singles victories, with 76.
His stamina and competitive drive were showcased at the 2025 NCAA tournament in Claremont, California. After winning the team title against Case Western Reserve University on May 22, he played the next morning in singles and doubles competition.
There was no time to celebrate the emotional national title with teammates. Just a few slices of delivery pizza and straight to bed.
“We were excited, but tired,” Shah said. “We had no break, so I didn’t expect much from the individual tournament.”
Shah and Green advanced to the second round of the doubles competition before Shah made it all the way to the singles finals for a second consecutive year.
Already a leader by example, Schilling expects Shah to help set the tone for Big Red first-years in the program.
“We’ve got a good recruiting class this year and we need Kael to become more of a vocal leader,” Schilling said. “He may not realize it, but he brings instant credibility with all he’s accomplished.”
Forward thinking
Shah likely will earn a fifth year of college eligibility at a Division I program and pursue a master’s degree. After that, he plans to play professionally.
But as the Big Red assembled for its first practice in late August — the first time players had been together since winning the title in California — Shah was focused on the immediate future.
“We need to stay humble,” said Shah, who has had a 4.0 grade point average the past four semesters. “We can’t be thinking we are the best just because we won it last year. This group wants to make history.”
No Division III men’s tennis program has won NCAA titles in consecutive years since Williams College in 2001-02.
One of Shah’s many highlights over the past year was having his mother, Bindi, travel from Nairobi, Kenya, to see him win the NCAA championship in California. While he spends little time reflecting on the past, Shah did so this summer when speaking to his parents about his Denison experience.
“Every time I think about our NCAA title, it brings me happiness, and how we did it as a team,” Shah said. “I’ve told my family that transferring to Denison was the best decision I could have made academically and athletically. The relationships I have built with my teammates and other students are unbreakable. That would have never happened had I not come to Denison.”
