UC Berkeley Joins Nation's Best in Tennis Campus Nationals

Press Release from United States Tennis Association:

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) announced the University of California, Berkeley as one of the top 64 co-ed intramural and sport club tennis teams that have qualified to represent colleges and universities across the country in the 2013 USTA Tennis On Campus National Championship, which will be played in Surprise, Ariz., from April 11-13.

The Golden Bears’ club tennis team has been together since 2000 and currently has nearly 40 active members. The defending champions head to Nationals without teammate Jack Sanford, who clinched the 2012 Championship victory with astounding play in the mixed doubles match – bringing Cal - Berkeley back from the brink of defeat. This year, Sanford is representing the Golden Bears as a member of the University’s NCAA Division I team.

“We all look forward to having the opportunity to defend our title once again,” said team captain Brandon Poon of the club’s sixth appearance at Nationals. “For many of us, high school tennis is the closest thing we’ve had to a team sport. The 2013 USTA National Campus Championships give us a second chance to relive some of those moments in an environment that is competitive and exciting.”

The USTA Tennis On Campus program features more than 35,000 college students competing nationwide in intramural and intercollegiate coed club play. Since its inception in 2000, Tennis On Campus has grown significantly and today is played on more than 600 college campuses across the country.

“The Tennis On Campus National Championship is the most exciting and successful recreational college tennis event in the country, “said Glenn Arrington, National Manager, USTA Tennis On Campus. “The Championship offers students a well-rounded experience of competition and fun in a social atmosphere—setting it apart from varsity programs. Having the opportunity to compete at Nationals is a memorable milestone in our players’ college experience.”

This year, seven schools will make their debut at Nationals in a field that also includes defending champion University of California-Berkeley and five-time national champion Texas A&M (which won titles in 2002 and 2004-2007). All teams participating in the Tennis On Campus National Championship have advanced through USTA section championship play.

Participating teams who have received bids for this year’s USTA Tennis On Campus National Championship include the following schools (* denotes first-time qualifiers):    

Arizona State University

Pennsylvania State University

University of Florida

Auburn University

Purdue University

University of Georgia

Baylor University

Saint Louis University

University of Maryland

Boston College

* Saint Mary’s College of California

University of Michigan

Brigham Young University

* South Dakota State University

University of Minnesota

College of Charleston

Southern Methodist University

University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill

Columbia University

Stanford University

University of Northern Colorado

Cornell University

Stony Brook University

University of Oklahoma

Dartmouth College

Texas A & M University

University of Oregon

* DePaul University

Texas State University – San Marcos

University of Pennsylvania

Duke University

Texas Tech

University of Texas San Antonio

* Emory University

The University of Texas at Austin

University of Virginia

* George Washington University

Tufts University

University of Washington

Georgetown University

University of California – Berkeley

University of Wisconsin

Harvard University

University of California – Los Angeles

Utah Valley University

* Kennesaw State

University of Arizona

* Valley City State University

Lone Star College – CyFair

University of California – Davis

Villanova University

Louisiana State University

University of California – San Diego

Virginia Tech

New Mexico State University

University of California – Santa Barbara

Washington University

North Dakota State University

University of Central Florida

Western Washington University

Northwestern University

University of Cincinnati

Oakland University 

University of Delaware

Developed by the USTA in partnership with NIRSA, World TeamTennis and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, the Tennis On Campus program gives college students the opportunity to build leadership skills, network in a coed sports environment and compete on a college team without the rigors of playing in a varsity program.  With year-round match play, and regional and national championship competition, students maintain active and healthy lifestyles through their college years.

Visit the Tennis On Campus website at www.tennisoncampus.com for complete results, stories and photos. The Tennis On Campus website also offers all college clubs fundraising resources, coaching tips, and marketing materials.