NCAA DI, DIII tennis national championships to take place within the USTA Missouri Valley

NCAA Division I tennis championships

The 2024 NCAA DI Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships mark the final one both the team and individual tournaments occur at the same site. Greenwood Tennis Center—a 50,000-square-foot facility featuring 12 outdoor courts and six indoor courts that won a 2016 USTA Outstanding Facility Award—was constructed in 2014 with an eye toward hosting major events.

“The facility was designed for this purpose: to be able to host the national championships,” Young said. “To see it come to fruition and to be able to do it, I think that’s the biggest dream-come-true situation.”

Oklahoma State and Greenwood will host the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of the team championships for both the men and women May 16-19. The singles championships for the men and women begin May 20 while the doubles championships start May 21. The top 64 singles competitors and 32 doubles teams for both the men and women will vie for the national title, with those national championship matches occurring May 25.

“Collegiate tennis is the most exciting brand of tennis out there because fans can engage with the sport,” Young said. “There are so many matches, so many things going on at once. The national championships for college tennis is one of the premier events for tennis we have.

“If people haven’t been before, they should definitely check it out—especially all the people in the USTA Missouri Valley area. It’s an opportunity for us to have this event in our backyard, support the event and show how important tennis is in our communities. There is no better place to see dreams come true and people really just playing with passion.”

All-session passes for all 10 days of the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships can be purchased by clicking here and cost $125. Single-session tickets for the team ($20 per day) and individual ($10 per day) sessions are available for purchase on-site each day of matches. Young said Oklahoma State is also seeking volunteers, with individuals able to register to help out by clicking here.

“It’s really important we encourage people to continue to support these events because it’s just going to continue to bring them into our communities,” Young said. “That is going to have such a big impact on the future of tennis within our communities and the section. … To bring all the best collegiate tennis players in the country to Stillwater and this area of the country—for our university to put it on display—it’s going to be pretty exciting.”

The women’s singles championships—which feature 32 participants—and women’s doubles championships—which include 16 doubles tandems—begin May 25 and conclude May 27. The men’s singles championships (32 players) and doubles championships (16 teams) run May 26-28. For the complete schedule of the DIII tennis championships, click here.

“DIII, since I’ve been involved, has gotten stronger and stronger,” said Follmer, who has served as the WashU men’s tennis head coach since 2001 and captured the 2008 national championship. “The level just gets better because it’s competitive. At the same time, the balance is still there. They’re going to class, getting a great education and degrees, and going off to grad school or getting great jobs.”

Admission is free for the entirety of the DIII championships in St. Louis. WashU and Dwight Davis are seeking volunteers from May 19-28. Individuals interested in volunteering can learn more information or sign up by clicking here.

“It’s always good to have that volunteer support,” Follmer said. “For USTA people who love tennis, it’s a great opportunity to help out with the championships and see some quality tennis along with super bright kids from elite institutions across America.”

Courtesy of USTA grant assistance and private donations, umpire chairs are being installed on the 12 championship courts at Dwight Davis in time for the NCAA tournament. Follmer noted teams and individuals will have the capability of practicing for matches on six of Dwight Davis’s courts as well as the six-court Tao Tennis Center on WashU’s campus, which frequently plays host to DIII regionals.

Follmer also highlighted the recently refurbished Hudlin Park tennis courts as a practice option he hopes players utilize. The four-court facility named after Richard Hudlin—the first African-American to captain a Big Ten Conference tennis team and mentor of Arthur Ashe when he trained in St. Louis—will feature new signage detailing Hudlin’s barrier-breaking story.

The NCAA Division I and Division III Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships are taking place as part of National Tennis Month in May. To learn more about National Tennis Month, click here.