| 2012 Tennis On Campus Club of the Year Award - University of Maryland - College Park | ||||
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The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has named The University of Maryland - College Park Club Tennis Team as its 2011-2012 Tennis On Campus Club of the Year. The award is presented annually to the college or university club tennis team that has achieved a level of sustained excellence, while also demonstrating a commitment to giving back to their local community. The honor brings with it an automatic bid to the 2012 USTA Tennis On Campus National Championship, which will be contested April 12-14, in Cary, N.C. Maryland features a traveling squad of 25 players and a recreational team of more than 200. These students also participate in a variety of activities reaching beyond the tennis court in Washington, D.C. to the streets of Maryland, and the schools of Ecuador. Club tennis team players eagerly embrace community involvement, serving the Habitat for Humanity 5K, Relay for Life and the Dreams for Kids Adaptive Tennis Clinic at the Legg Mason Tournament of Champions. “It’s remarkable to see how many of these programs commit time and resources to improving their local communities,” said Glenn Arrington, National Manager, USTA Tennis On Campus. “The University of Maryland – College Park club tennis team serves as a great ambassador not just for tennis, but also for their campus. They have set an exceptional example of student leadership and they should be proud of their achievements.” One of the most original events the Maryland team brought to the community was the Bilingual Backpacks Charity Midnight Tennis Tournament. Team captain Tiffany Lin and teammate Tim Ghazzawi launched the event to benefit the non-profit organization Bilingual Backpacks. Ghazzawi founded the organization after he and Lin taught at a primary school in Ecuador in 2010. The event brought 45 doubles teams to an 8 p.m.-midnight tournament that featured food, refreshments and plenty of fun. The tournament raised $600 that Ghazzawi turned into books and supplies for the Ecuadorian school. In addition, the event serves as a means to generate more player interest in their club tennis team. “Maryland Club Tennis and the Tennis On Campus program have been an integral part of my college life,” Lin said. “As a bioengineering major with aspirations of attending dental school, I decided early on that tennis would have to take a back seat. However, Maryland Club Tennis has proved otherwise. “Our club’s welcoming environment attracts beginner, intermediate and advanced players alike – all of which are welcome to attend all practices and dual matches. Though we are challenged with limited court space and resources, our club’s enthusiasm and competitive spirit, as well as excitement to bring tennis to the community, continues to impress me.” In the 2011-2012 Season Maryland Club Tennis placed second in both the Loyola Fall Invitational and the USTA Tennis On Campus Mid-Atlantic Championship and third in the USTA Battle of the Sections. Team member Linda Quach was voted the Mid-Atlantic Player of the Month and members of the team volunteered as ballpersons and ushers for D.C.-area pro events like the US Open Wildcard Event and the CitiOpen. It was announced last year that the current 2012 season would be the last that Maryland will compete as a Division I men’s tennis program because of impending budget cuts, effective July 1. “It is our hope at USTA that the positive attributes of the club team will help strengthen and expand the advocate base for tennis on Maryland’s campus and may very well become a driving force toward helping reinstate their men’s varsity tennis team in the future,” Arrington said. USTA Tennis On Campus will present the University of Maryland – College Park Club Tennis Team with their award on Saturday, April 14, during the awards ceremony at the 2012 USTA Tennis On Campus National Championship, featuring 64 co-ed teams representing colleges and universities throughout the nation.
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| 2012 Tennis On Campus Leader of the Year Award - Matt Ship | ||||
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The United States Tennis Association (USTA) named senior Matthew Ship, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the USTA Tennis On Campus Leader of the Year for the 2011-2012 season. The award is presented annually to the college student who has made significant contributions to the USTA’s Tennis On Campus program in a manner that benefits the well-being of their fellow students and the surrounding community. “Being selected as the Tennis on Campus Leader of the Year is very humbling,” said Ship, President of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Club Tennis Team. “This honor is flattering and makes me so happy to know my teammates have had a wonderful experience. The award brings everything full circle, and is a great way to wrap up my four years of club tennis here at Wisconsin.” Since joining the club’s executive board in 2008, Ship can attest to the growing popularity of club tennis on his campus. To accommodate student interest, the University of Wisconsin-Madison formed a travel and a recreational squad – with more than 160 students participating in club tryouts last fall. On the court, Ship has successfully balanced the needs of both competitive and recreational players in the club. With practices twice a week and regular weekend socials, Ship has found the perfect combination. Ship has made a difference off the court as well. Under his leadership, the Wisconsin-Madison Club Tennis Team works as a support group for the university’s varsity tennis programs promoting fan interaction on campus. The club also plans to offer 10 and Under Tennis clinics for Madison youth next season to build local awareness and interest in the sport. “Matthew exemplifies the ideals we look for in our Tennis On Campus leaders,” said Glenn Arrington, National Manager, USTA Tennis On Campus. “He is passionate and dedicated to not only to his teammates and the sport but also to the Madison community. The USTA is very proud to present this award to Matthew Ship.” The USTA Tennis On Campus program will present Ship with his award on Saturday, April 14, during the awards ceremony at the 2012 USTA Tennis On Campus National Championship held in Cary, NC, featuring 64 co-ed teams representing colleges and universities throughout the nation.
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