2024 USTA Eastern Annual Award Winners

With its annual awards, USTA Eastern honors those who have made remarkable contributions toward growing and promoting tennis at the grassroots level. These individuals and organizations demonstrate what makes the Eastern section so unique and innovative. Please join us in congratulating our 2023 recipients for all their hard work in enriching our sport.

Click here for a downloadable list of all awards and their official descriptions.

Click here to look back at all of our award winners in each category since 1998.

2024 USTA Eastern Award Recipients

Tennis Man of the Year: Jim Poling (Southern Region)

Tennis Woman of the Year: Sandy Hoffman (Southern Region)

Member Organization of the Year: Rockland Community Tennis Association (Southern Region)

Tennis Family of the Year: The Bonetti Family (New Jersey Region)

George Seewagen Award: Jay Devashetty (Metro Region)

Louise Cilla Award: Linda Bracco (Long Island Region)

Courage Award: Maria Lamia (New Jersey Region); Lauren Norris (Long Island Region)

Clinician of the Year Award: Mike Barrell (Metro Region)

Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Award: Jeff Lacy (Metro Region)

Fran Osei Community Service Award: Doug Goulding (New Jersey Region)

10 & Under Award: Empire Tennis Academy (Western Region)

Junior Team Tennis Award: Andrea Peters (Northern Region)

Collegiate Award: The UB Aces - University at Buffalo Club Tennis (Western Region)

USTA League Award: Gigi Banks (Long Island Region)

Virginia and Chuck Landis High School Coach of the Year Award: Wesley Smith (New Jersey Region) 

Corporate Service Award: Johnny Mac Tennis Project (Metro Region)

Press Service Award: Roger Rubin (Long Island Region)

Umpire Service Award: Philip Luckette (Western Region)

Special Service Award: David Gibbons (Western Region)

Service To People with Disabilities Award: Alexander Dobrin (Metro Region)

Long Island Region Volunteer of the Year Award: Stephen Green

Metro Region Volunteer of the Year Award: Doriana Noel

New Jersey Region Volunteer of the Year Award: Vanessa Canda

Northern Region Volunteer of the Year Award: Anita Russo

Southern Region Volunteer of the Year Award: Elisa Tertulien

Western Region Volunteer of the Year Award: Kathy Connelly