Tennis on Campus

 

Weeks before the 2013 Tennis On Campus National Championship, North Dakota State University’s club tennis team can already call itself a winner. The team was recently honored with the 2012-13 USTA Tennis On Campus Club of the Year award.

 

The award is presented annually to the college or university club tennis team that has achieved a level of sustained excellence, while also demonstrating a commitment to giving back to its local community. The honor brings with it an automatic bid to the 2013 USTA Tennis On Campus National Championship, which will be contested April 11-13, in Surprise, Ariz. 

 

"It’s remarkable to see how many of these programs commit time and resources to improving their local communities," said Glenn Arrington, National Manager, USTA Tennis On Campus. "The North Dakota State University club tennis team serves as a great ambassador not just for the Tennis On Campus program, but also for their school. They have shown exceptional student leadership and should be proud of their accomplishments."

 

Among the community service initiatives the NDSU club completes each year is to have team members volunteer as court monitors at North Dakota high school tournaments throughout the fall. They offer their services and promote their Tennis On Campus program, – letting the next generation of players know that the tennis experience doesn’t have to end when high school does.

 

"Receiving this honor is so exciting," said senior Kelly Rensink. "When I joined Tennis On Campus as a freshman, the club was just getting underway; it was small and sort of unorganized. I’ve seen how much work the officers and players have put in on- and off-the-court, and it has paid off. To have the USTA recognize those efforts is truly awesome."

 

The team will be presented with its award on Saturday, April 13, at the 2013 USTA Tennis On Campus National Championship. At the National Championship, the Bison will face stiff competition from 63 other clubs, such as defending champion University of California – Berkeley and five-time national champion Texas A&M (which won titles in 2002 and from 2004 to 2007).

 

"Being recognized by the USTA will go a long way toward establishing our club’s presence on campus," said another senior, NDSU club vice president Erin Swanberg. "It is a true honor and will give us the boost we need to keep growing our membership." 

 

The USTA Tennis On Campus program features more than 35,000 college students competing nationwide in intramural and intercollegiate coed club play using the World TeamTennis format. Since its inception in 2000, Tennis On Campus has grown significantly and today is played on more than 600 college campuses across the country. Developed by the USTA in partnership with the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA), World TeamTennis and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, the Tennis On Campus program gives college students the opportunity to build leadership skills, network in a coed sports environment and compete on a college team without the rigors of playing in a varsity program.  With year-round match play, and regional and national championship competition, students maintain active and healthy lifestyles through their college years.