USTA National Campus Awarded NCAA Men’s And Women’s Tennis Championships

The NCAA announced that the USTA National Campus at Lake Nona in Orlando, Fla., will be the host site of the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships in 2019 and 2021, as well as the NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships in 2022.

The bid process was completed in conjunction with the Central Florida Sports Commission, university partners the University of Central Florida and Oglethorpe University (Ga.), and community partners the City of Orlando and Orange County.

The USTA National Campus will host the nation’s top eight men’s and women’s collegiate programs that will compete for a team championship, as well as the top 64 men and top 64 women competing for the NCAA singles titles and top 32 men's and women's doubles teams competing for the NCAA doubles crowns. This reflects a format change for the team championship that will take place starting in 2019 and see the introduction of super regionals. 

“We are honored that the NCAA has selected the USTA National Campus as a host for the Division I and Division III Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships,” said USTA National Campus General Manager Tim Cass. “Collegiate tennis is one of the pillars on which the USTA National Campus was built. We are excited to bring the pinnacle of collegiate tennis to the Orlando community and look forward to creating a truly special experience for all of those in attendance.”

“We are so pleased that the NCAA has selected the USTA National Campus to host the Division I and Division III Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships,” said Jason Siegel, Interim President & CEO of the Central Florida Sports Commission. “We believe that we have the finest tennis facility in the world right here in our backyard, and we can’t wait to welcome the top teams and individuals in Division I and Division III tennis to Orlando and Lake Nona to compete for NCAA championships.”

Bidding on and securing these championships is yet another example of how the USTA has elevated its support and promotion of collegiate tennis. Within the first 100 days of operation, the USTA National Campus hosted six College MatchDay events, attracting more than 5,300 fans to watch some of the nation’s top men’s and women’s collegiate tennis programs. In addition, more than 300 NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and Junior College tennis teams have played matches this season at the USTA National Campus, which serves as the home for the University of Central Florida men’s and women’s tennis programs.

“As Orlando’s hometown team, UCF is thrilled to be a part of bringing even more elite level NCAA championship action to the area,” said UCF Vice President & Director of Athletics Danny White. “The USTA National Campus has so much to offer coaches, student-athletes and fans participating in these great events. We’re thrilled to call the National Campus our home for UCF tennis. I’m sure all the teams who are fortunate enough to play in these events will have a wonderful experience. It’s a win for all involved. Thanks to the USTA and the Central Florida Sports Commission for leading the charge to bring these championships to our area.”

NCAA championship events attract spectators and families throughout the state of Florida and from across the U.S., bringing valuable revenue to hotels, restaurants and attractions in the Central Florida community. For the past 21 years (beginning in 1996), the Sports Commission has hosted at least one NCAA National Championship or Regional Championship each year. In 2017 alone, the Sports Commission will partner to host six NCAA championships, highlighted by the recent Division I Men’s Basketball Championship first/second round games at the Amway Center which drew a total attendance of 50,170.

The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level -- from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization with more than 715,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the US Open Series, linking seven summer WTA and ATP World Tour tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA’s philanthropic entity, the USTA Foundation, provides grants and scholarships and helps under-resourced youth and individuals with disabilities, and supports wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans and their families. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com, “like” the official Facebook page, facebook.com/usta, or follow @usta on Twitter.

The USTA National Campus, located at Lake Nona in Orlando, Fla., serves as the “Home of American Tennis.” The groundbreaking facility is designed to enhance the sport at every level and create an unparalleled playing, training, coaching and educational experience for recreational players, competitive players, coaches and spectators. More than 100 international, national and local events and tournaments are scheduled at the facility in 2017.