ASU, Intercollegiate Tennis Association form strategic alliance

Governing body moves headquarters to Tempe

Arizona State University and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), the governing body for college tennis, announced a strategic alliance that will leverage the resources of a research-based university to grow the sport of tennis locally, nationally and globally.

The ITA will move its headquarters, currently located in Princeton, New Jersey, to the ASU Tempe campus. In addition to moving its headquarters, the ITA will work with Sun Devil Athletics to expand community outreach and accessibility, develop research-based initiatives and create a new collegiate tennis model centered on advancing the sport.

“As the New American University, we are always looking for innovative ways to advance the experience of our student-athletes and the promotion of Olympic sports, and this alliance with the ITA is an opportunity to elevate Sun Devil tennis and grow the sport as a whole,” said Ray Anderson, vice president of University Athletics. “We are looking forward to collaborating with the ITA in all facets and disciplines Arizona State University has to offer.”

“The ITA is thrilled to be entering into this alliance with Arizona State,” said Timothy Russell, ITA chief executive officer. “The ITA and Arizona State are both forward-thinking and innovative, and share many of the same core values. The ITA looks forward to calling Tempe home as we serve college tennis and create the leaders of tomorrow.”

The ITA and Arizona State University strategic alliance holds the potential to transform the Valley of the Sun into the leading tennis community in the West. This collaboration will also demonstrate how a college campus can become the new ecosystem for growing American tennis, while also becoming an innovative, research-based global sports leader.

The alliance will focus on enhancing tennis participation and accessibility through community outreach, including the development of tennis programs for individuals of all ages, talent levels and socio-economic backgrounds Valley-wide. There is also a need to provide a site for elite athletes to train after they graduate from college. The average age of the Top 100 tennis professionals is approximately 26 for women and 27 for men, and this alliance will help address that training gap. ASU and the ITA will also utilize their resources to make the Valley a hub of tennis and sport technology research activity.

“The alliance between ASU and the ITA reinforces Ray Anderson’s and Sun Devil Athletics’ commitment to the enrichment and advancement of Olympic sports,” said Larry Scott, Pac-12 commissioner. “This multifaceted approach with its emphasis on the ASU community only serves to grow the sport and make it more accessible to future student-athletes.”

By aligning the forward-thinking vision of America’s most innovative university (according to U.S. News and World Report) with that of a creative leader in the world of intercollegiate athletics, ASU and the ITA will provide leadership for a new model for sport in a fast-paced and ever-changing world.

“Tennis has a great and rich history and is a global sport,” said Russell. “Tennis is a sport of a lifetime. At the ITA we really want to emphasize the wellness benefits that the sport brings to a community. While our mission is to serve all of college tennis, we also want to encourage those in the community to pick up a racket and embrace all of the benefits our sport has to offer.”

About the ITA

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is the governing body of college tennis, overseeing women's and men’s varsity tennis at NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College. The ITA administers a comprehensive awards and rankings program for men's and women's varsity players, coaches and teams in all divisions, providing recognition for their accomplishments on and off the court. For more information on the ITA, visit the ITA website at www.itatennis.com, like the ITA on Facebook or follow @ITAtennis on Twitter.

About ASU

Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American Research University, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it.