April 14, 2008

2008 USTA National Campus Championship set for April 17-19 in Cary, N.C.

From USTA

The 2008 USTA National Campus Championship presented by Tennis Warehouse will be held in Cary, N.C., April 17-19, at the Cary Tennis Park for the second straight year. The National Championship is the culmination of the USTA Tennis On Campus Season and tennis legend Billie Jean King will also be on hand as honorary guest to support and share her tennis insights with participating teams.

The USTA Tennis On Campus program features co-ed teams participating in intramural and intercollegiate (club) play using the World TeamTennis format on campuses nationwide. 

Sixty-four teams representing colleges and universities throughout the nation will join four-time defending champion Texas A&M in the competition. Since its inception in 2000, the program has grown to over 500 colleges and 35,000 student athlete participants. 

The Tennis On Campus program was designed to provide college students with opportunities for team camaraderie, social networking and rivaled competition, without the rigors of a varsity program.  It is perfect for athletes who have chosen not to make the jump from high school to college varsity, Tennis On Campus offers match play, regional and national championship competition while also helping students maintain active and healthy lifestyles through their college years.

“With more than 300,000 varsity high school tennis players who don’t play collegiate varsity tennis, the USTA Tennis On Campus program provides the ideal alternative for organized tennis play on college campuses,” said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive, Community Tennis, USTA. “We look forward to the culmination of another record-breaking season at this year’s Championships in Cary, N.C.”

As part of the Tennis On Campus season, all 17 USTA  sections hold championships, with the winner and second place finisher of each receiving an automatic bid to the 2008 USTA National Campus Championship.  The remaining field is filled through an at-large selection process.

The tournament is administered in partnership by the United States Tennis Association, National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA), Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) and World TeamTennis (WTT).  This partnership has not only resulted in record participation at this championship, but in growing interest and participation in tennis on college campuses throughout the country.