Teams from Cornell, Columbia and Stony Brook universities will represent USTA Eastern next month, as they compete next month at the USTA Tennis On Campus National Championship in Cary, NC. The three schools finished first, second, and third, respectively, at the USTA Eastern Tennis On Campus Championship held February 25-26 in Syracuse, NY.
"My team and I are extremely excited about our Sectionals win," said Allison Hsia, captain of Cornell’s team. "We've all been practicing our games very hard, and it’s great to see that pay off with a bid to Nationals."
Tennis On Campus is offered on over 500 college campuses across the country, and provides college students with opportunities for team camaraderie, social networking, and competition through tennis without the rigors of a varsity program.
Last month, the USTA Eastern Championships attracted nine unique teams from across the section. In addition to the Cornell, Columbia and Stony Brook, there were teams from Syracuse University, Rutgers University, University of Rochester, University at Buffalo, SUNY Cortland, and Onondaga Community College.
Sonia Sader, Manager of Adult Leagues for USTA Eastern, said the section Championship was one of the best in Eastern history.
"It was a terrific weekend of team tennis," said Sader. "The competition was intense, and the students had a great time competing with their friends against colleges from across the section."
At the end of the tournament, teams were recognized not just for finishing in the top three, but also for their growth and improvement. The Stony Brook University team was recognized as the Section Club of the Year, and the team’s president, Leon Wong, as the Club Leader of the Year. The Stony Brook team had just five men at the Section Championships four years ago and has grown to over 100 club players. This year will be the second consecutive year the team has earned a bid to Nationals.
USTA Eastern also recognized the University of Rochester as the Most Improved Club. The team finished fourth this year in only its second trip to the Section Championships.
Click here for more information about Tennis on Campus.