2023 USTA junior scholar athletes, sportsmanship award winners named
Four standout junior players were honored on Monday as the USTA announced the recipients of two prestigious awards.
Emerey Gross of St. Louis and Dylan Tsoi of El Dorado Hills, Calif., are the winners of the USTA Bill Talbert Junior Sportsmanship Award, while Esha Velaga of Colmar, Pa., and Xander Barber of Falmouth, Maine, received the 2023 USTA National Junior Scholar Athlete Award.
Gross, Tsoi win sportsmanship award
Gross, 15, is a rising high school sophomore who, as a freshman at St. Joseph’s Academy in St. Louis, was named one of the Top 25 high school tennis players in the country. She helped lead St. Joseph’s to a team state championship and also won the state doubles title.
Gross is ranked as one of the top 16-and-under players in the country and is now enrolled at the renowned IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. She has had impressive showings at a number of USTA national junior tournaments and has also been recognized for her outstanding sportsmanship. She won the St. Louis District’s Sportsmanship Award and Missouri Athletic Club’s MVP/Sportsmanship Award, while coaches all point towards her consistently positive attitude on the court and her respect for her teammates, opponents and officials.
Emerey Gross
Tsoi, 18, is a recent graduate of Jesuit High School in Sacramento and will continue his tennis career at Yale University. A three-time captain of the Jesuit tennis team, Tsoi is a devoted student-athlete who has excelled both on and off the court.
Xander Barber (left) and Dylan Tsoi
In addition to his on-court accolades, Tsoi has been continuously recognized for his sportsmanship. He has won five national sportsmanship awards at USTA junior tournaments and has 10 such recognitions at USTA Northern California events. Tsoi’s peers, both teammates and opponents alike, remark about his positive demeanor and respectful attitude.
“Emerey and Dylan are incredible tennis players, both on and off the court,” said Craig Morris, Chief Executive, Community Tennis, USTA. “They both epitomize what great sportsmanship is all about and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for them.”
Each award winner must be a junior player who exemplifies the finest qualities of sportsmanship in tournament play as well as one who maintains the finest traditions of the great sportsmen/women of tennis, past and present.
The award is given in honor of 1967 Hall of Famer Bill Talbert, who was highly regarded for his high standards of sportsmanship and is presented in conjunction with the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Gross and Tsoi were presented with their awards at the USTA National Championships taking place in San Diego and Kalamazoo, Mich., respectively, this week.
Barber, Velaga named scholar athletes
Barber recently graduated from Falmouth High School after relocating to Maine from Asheville, N.C., ahead of his senior year. His impact on the tennis court was felt immediately as Barber led Falmouth to a state championship and was named the state’s Player of the Year. He is currently ranked as one of the top 18-and-under players in the country and won the doubles title at the USTA National Winter Championships in back-to-back years.
Barber will be continuing his tennis career next year at Dartmouth College. In the classroom, Barber has a 3.9 GPA and was named an AP Scholar with Distinction. He is a member of the National Honor Society and was a National Merit Scholarship finalist. Barber volunteers his time for a number of organizations, including serving as a peer tutor and tennis coach.
Velaga is a recent graduate of North Penn High School and will continue her tennis career next year at the nearby University of Pennsylvania. She is ranked as one of the top 18-and-under players in the country and her decorated high school tennis career included winning the PIAA 3A girls’ singles state championship in 2021. She has had impressive showings at a number of national USTA junior events, including earning multiple sportsmanship awards.
In the classroom, Velaga is just as impressive, carrying a 6.49 cumulative weighted GPA. She is a member of multiple National Honor Societies, is a PSAT National Merit Scholarship winner and was named an AP Scholar with Distinction. She spends her free time giving back to the community through various volunteer efforts including assisting with the running of local tennis events.
Esha Velaga
“Esha and Xander’s achievements on the court, in the classroom and in the community truly make them exemplary leaders among their peers,” said Morris. “They are both very deserving of this honor and have bright futures ahead of them.”
This is the 11th year the USTA has awarded its National Junior Scholar Athlete Award. To qualify, students must have an unweighted GPA of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale and be ranked in the Top 100 of the USTA Boys’ or Girls’ 18s national standings. A written essay, as well as leadership and sportsmanship, were also considered. Velaga and Barber were presented with their awards at the USTA National Championships taking place in San Diego and Kalamazoo, Mich., respectively, this week.
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