Dennis Lajola's tennis odyssey from 'Aiea to the international game has finally landed him back home, where one of the finest players in Hawai'i history has been cleared to play at the University of Hawai'i.

Lajola will start his collegiate career this afternoon when the Rainbow Warriors play 18th-ranked Florida State (3 p.m.) at the UH Tennis Complex. The 'Bows take on St. Mary's tomorrow and UC Santa Barbara Sunday. Both matches begin at noon.

Recruiting Lajola, 18, was easy compared to wading through paperwork the last several months to get him eligible. Lajola left Hawai'i his freshman year at 'Iolani to train with the national high performance program. He has been around the world since, training and studying at academies, playing international events and working toward his degree online and in the Philippines, where he was born.

The unorthodox education did not sway schools, including Florida State, Louisville, and UCLA, from recruiting him. Lajola was ranked second nationally in Boys 14s and was in the Top 50 internationally the past few years. He won doubles titles at the USTA nationals in Kalamazoo, Mich., and Easter Bowl and played on the victorious Junior Davis Cup team.

In Hawai'i, he took third in the USTA National Open Championships for 18-year-olds a few days after turning 15. And, last November, Lajola won the Oceanic Time Warner Cable Honolulu Futures, a USTA Pro Circuit event.

Lajola will now try to become the third straight Rainbow to earn Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year honors, following Sascha Heinemann and Andreas Weber, who also earned regional rookie honors and was the first 'Bow to play in the NCAA Tournament.

"Honestly, it's huge," said UH coach John Nelson. "We have two very solid players and Dennis is probably second in the nation in the 18's so he's one of the country's top recruits and best juniors. And being local and American, that opens up the U.S. market for us. My goal is to have a team that is half (international) and half (American) because they can learn from each other.

"Not a lot of 18-year-olds win a pro tournament, and he can beat my top two guys. ...It's a real blessing for the program."

Lajola's brother, Derrick, played the last four years at UH and is now assistant women's coach. He has been traveling with his brother in the summers and training with him and former 'Bow Ryan Sceats since Dennis came home last year.

Lajola has already bonded with his new teammates, including junior Jeff Fitch, who will probably be Lajola's doubles partner, sophomore Spence Mendoza from Waikoloa and freshman Craig Faulk.

Weber was ranked 28th in the preseason and Heinemann 50th. He was just named WAC Player of the Week after beating No. 98 Mathieu Thibaudeau of Alabama in straight sets. Weber, ranked as high as 25th last year, beat Stanford's No. 1 player in the fall.

Lajola has received a wild card to play in the USTA Waikoloa Challenger starting Tuesday.

"Our top three are as good as any in the nation and the rest are improving," Nelson said. "Dennis just has a passion for the game; he loves to compete. He's got that 'give me the ball' attitude. He loves tiebreakers, loves the pressure and has a great work ethic. And he's got talent."

After this weekend, Hawai'i does not play again at home until March. The WAC Championships are April 24 to 27 in Las Cruces, N.M.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.