East St. Louis, Ernest Grundy, Headington, Kossover, MICDS win facility awards

Five tennis complexes located within the USTA Missouri Valley were selected for a USTA Outstanding Facility Award and recognized as part of the 2026 US Open.

East St. Louis Senior High School, Ernest Grundy Tennis Center, Headington Family Tennis Center, Kossover Tennis Center and Michael W. and Quirsis V. Riney Family Tennis Center earned the prestigious accolade.

The facilities were five of the 41 winners from the annual USTA Outstanding Facility Awards, which recognize excellence in the construction and/or renovation of tennis facilities throughout the country. The complexes were honored Aug. 31 at an awards ceremony at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York.

Nominated facilities were judged on criteria including layout and adaption to site; quality of each court area, surface, enclosure and lights; accessories, accommodations and amenities; ease of maintenance and participation in grassroots tennis programs.

East St. Louis Senior High School’s six-court tennis complex was completed in the spring of 2025. The $2.5 million project in East St. Louis, Ill., was funded in part through USTA Tennis Venue Services grants and replaced declining courts with new post-tension concrete ones.

The lighted facility includes blended lines to support play for all ages and community programming. The complex is home to the East St. Louis Senior High School girls’ tennis team.

The East St. Louis Community Tennis Association, which was instrumental in the courts being constructed, run youth and adult programming at the facility. Read more by clicking here.

Ernest Grundy Tennis Center in Kearney, Neb., features six indoor tennis courts with mezzanine spectator seating. The center — which was opened in May 2022 and is managed by the City of Kearney Park and Recreation Department — is a 62,000-square-foot complex on University of Nebraska at Kearney’s campus.

Two years ago, Headington added 4,300 square feet of new construction. Improvements included expanded team suites with updated locker rooms and team lounges, an elevated multipurpose covered patio, 540 new fixed chairback seats and upgraded lighting inside and outside. Read more about the OU facility’s award here.

Kossover Tennis Center in Topeka, Kan., recently added four new tennis courts and resurfaced its original 18 courts to allow for more public play, lessons, leagues and tournaments.

The $1.8 million improvement project better positions the facility to host national-level tournaments, college events and professional tourneys.

High-efficiency lighting, spectator seating, shade awnings, walkways, fence dividers, scorecards and a PA system was also added to the facility as part of the makeover.