Sept. 25, 2006

Contact: Dawn Harmon, NAIA Sports Information

Five NAIA institutions were awarded grants from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) to continue efforts in promoting the sport of tennis in their respective communities. Any school with a membership in the ITA was eligible to receive the grant. Auburn University Montgomery (Ala.), Indiana University Southeast, Lewis-Clark State College (Idaho), Oklahoma Christian University, and Southern Oregon University were among the 48 collegiate tennis programs that received the grant.

Nearly $40,000 in funding provided by the USTA will be distributed to Tennis On Campus and Community Outreach programs being administered by ITA-member schools this Fall. The funding will help institutions work with more than 5,000 participants. 

Community Outreach programs are aimed at engaging local communites while teaching the sport of tennis.  The programs range from on-court tutoring to off-campus visits and include youth through adults.  Communit Outreaches strive to arouse interest not only for the sport, but also for the varsity program on campus.

Tennis on Campus provides opportunities to the community for group instruction and league play.  In conjunction with USA Tennis, the program offers participants of all ages to learn, play and compete in the sport of tennis.

NAIA Institutions and Programs
AUM (Scott Kidd) - Community Outreach Grant
Indiana Southeast (Yancey Walter) - Community Outreach Grant
Lewis-Clark State (Kai Fong) - Community Outreach Grant
Oklahoma Christian (Lisa Johnson) - Tennis on Campus
Southern Oregon (Gail Patton) - Tennis on Campus