ITA Welcomes New CFO and General Counsel

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is pleased to announce the hiring of Taylor Fendley as Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel.

Fendley graduated from the University of Mississippi with an undergraduate degree in accounting before attending law school at the University of Alabama. Recently, he graduated summa cum laude from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University with an L.L.M. in Sports Law and Business.

“College tennis and our Association are very fortunate to have a person of Taylor’s integrity, knowledge, and expertise join Team ITA at this critical moment in our history,” Dr. Russell commented. “His dual role in finance and sports law will add incredible value to our leadership team as we continue to serve our members and our sport.” 

With a background in banking and state financial services, a CPA, Fendley brings highly valuable skills such as advanced financial planning, expertise in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, stakeholder relations, and risk assessment to the association. The ITA will also draw on Fendley’s years of experience practicing law at Beers, Anderson, Jackson, Patty & Fawal PC. 

Fendley began work with the ITA in April and immediately began efforts to further update and improve the ITA’s bookkeeping and reporting practices, including the implementation of new automated processes, prepare a variety of budget scenarios for the upcoming fiscal year amidst the uncertainties in the world of college athletics caused by a world pandemic, and prepare for the ITA’s yearly audit. Taylor will work closely with the financial oversight committees of the ITA Board, our independent CPA and audit firm, and ITA President and Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Russell.

“I could not be more excited to join the ITA and the excellent team serving the collegiate tennis community,” Fendley said. “I feel incredibly blessed and fortunate to have the opportunity to use my professional skills in finance and law to further the efforts of the ITA. I am looking forward to working with the ITA membership to provide the best amateur and collegiate tennis experience to our student athletes.” 

About the Intercollegiate Tennis Association - Originally founded in 1956 by the legendary UCLA men’s tennis coach, J. D. Morgan, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is the governing body of college tennis, overseeing men’s and women’s varsity tennis at all levels – NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College. Officially incorporated in 1978 as the Intercollegiate Tennis Coaches Association (ITCA), for over the past four decades the ITA has worked hard to achieve its charter goals: (1) “To foster and encourage the playing of intercollegiate tennis in accordance with the highest tradition of sportsmanship and consistent with the general objectives of higher education.” (2) “To develop among the intercollegiate coaches a deeper sense of responsibility in teaching, promoting, maintaining, and conducting the game of tennis.” And, (3) “To educate and serve those individuals and groups who are involved in collegiate tennis: junior and college players, their coaches and parents, and the at-large tennis public.”