The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is sharing the news that the NCAA Division I Competition Oversight Committee has approved a two-year pilot program to hold the Division I men’s and women’s individual tennis championships in the fall of 2024 and 2025.
“Leaders look to the future,” said Dr. Timothy Russell, Chief Executive Officer of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. “The ITA applauds this forward-thinking decision, which defines two distinct seasons for Division I college tennis, and better positions the sport for continuing to build the excitement that surrounds the important Spring team season.”
This pilot program will not affect the Division I men’s and women’s team championships which will continue to be held in the spring each year.
To read the entire NCAA statement see below:
The Division I Competition Oversight Committee approved a two-year pilot program to hold the Division I men’s and women’s individual tennis championships in the fall of 2024 and 2025.
The Division I men’s and women’s team championships will continue to be held in the spring both years.
The Division I Men’s and Women’s Tennis Committee will evaluate the championships to see what the best path is for the Division I Men’s and Women’s Tennis Championships at the completion of the pilot program.
Part of the rationale for the decision to hold the Division I individual tennis championships in the fall involves student-athlete well-being.
Under the current format, tennis student-athletes in both the team and individual championships can compete for nine days in a row. Student-athletes only in the individual championships may wait up to three weeks from the end of the regular season until they compete again.
Student-athletes withdraw after selection and during the championships due to injury. Some student-athletes also withdraw directly after selection or after losing in the team tournament.
The Division I Competition Oversight Committee also hopes the modification can help the student-athlete experience by maintaining or boosting attendance at the events.
It is hoped that broadcast opportunities may occur, which would allow student-athletes to showcase their talent in the individual singles and doubles championships.
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association, which is the coaches association for college tennis, and the United States Tennis Association collaborated on a survey with the Division I Men’s and Women’s Tennis Committee that showed 68% of the respondents favored the individual tennis championships shifting to the fall.
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