2026 Award Nominations Now Open

AUSTIN, Texas – USTA Texas is pleased to announce that the nomination period for the prestigious USTA Texas Awards is officially underway. This annual program is dedicated to honoring the incredible individuals, organizations and volunteers whose passion and commitment drive the growth and positive influence of tennis throughout the Texas section.

The awards recognize those who have made a significant, positive and lasting impact on their local communities and the sport. Additionally, winners of several key categories advance to represent Texas at the USTA national awards level. 

The 2026 nomination period runs from Saturday, Nov. 1 to Friday, Nov. 21 at 11:59 p.m. CT.

The USTA Texas Awards span numerous categories to ensure all contributions are celebrated. 

Individual honors include the esteemed W.T. Caswell Lifetime Service Award, the USTA Texas Community Service Award, and the Lloyd Sessions Educational Merit Award. Additional categories recognize outstanding efforts in officiating, senior tennis, adaptive tennis and wheelchair tennis. Organizational awards include the USTA Texas CTA of the Year and Member Organization of the Year. 

Notably, the 2026 cycle also welcomes the return of the USTA Texas NJTL Impact Award, recognizing efforts in the National Junior Tennis & Learning space, and the USTA Texas Junior Sportsmanship Awards, which include two outstanding awards and eight divisional awards across the 12s-18s divisions.

USTA Texas Awards Committee Chair Mike McVey shared his enthusiasm for launching the 2026 nomination cycle and recognizing the heart of the Texas tennis community.

“The recipients are true champions of the sport, demonstrating our core values—Integrity, Inclusion, Innovation, Accountability, Collaboration and Excellence—in their efforts to increase tennis participation, accessibility, longevity and opportunity for all Texans,” McVey said. “It is a privilege for us to recognize the most outstanding members of the Texas tennis community each year.”

Following the nomination deadline, the Selection Committees take on the considerable task of reviewing every submission to determine the slate of winners for the year. The selection process is meticulous and highly valued, ensuring that only the most deserving candidates receive this prestigious honor.

“Many hours go into the awards process,” McVey noted, “from refining the various awards criteria, to requesting nominations across all awards categories, to a detailed review of each candidate's application as compared to the award criteria.”

Recipients of this year’s awards will be announced in early 2026. A formal awards luncheon celebrating the achievements of adult and organizational winners will take place on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026 at the USTA Texas Annual Meeting in Plano, Texas. Winners of junior awards will be recognized and honored during major Texas tournaments in the spring: the ATX Open in Austin and the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships in Houston.