TEMPE, AZ – After hosting its inaugural Awards Weekend in 2022, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is pleased to once again honor several shining stars, of both past and present, from across the college tennis landscape at the 2023 ITA Leadership Awards Weekend presented by Limoneira.
Being held from August 26-27 around the excitement of the US Open in New York City, the 2023 ITA Leadership Awards Weekend presented by Limoneira will host 22 current and former college tennis standouts for a weekend full of celebration and service.
With awards celebrating standout human beings such as Arthur Ashe, Sally Ride, Ann Lebedeff, and David A Benjamin, the ITA Leadership Awards Weekend presented by Limoneira honors all that is great about college tennis, recognizing those who not only did outstanding things on the court but their communities as well.
Beginning on Saturday, August 26th, student-athletes in attendance will travel to Flushing Meadows to take part in the 2023 US Open Arthur Ashe Kids Day. Here, these award winners will serve as volunteers, leading tennis drills on courts around the US Open grounds to over 30,000 kids and parents in attendance.
Later that afternoon, the attendees of the ITA Leadership Awards Weekend presented by Limoneira will be treated to an Awards Dinner at the Yale Club where family members as well as many prominent figures within the sport of tennis will converge to celebrate the accomplishments of each award winner in attendance.
On Sunday, August 27th, student-athletes will conclude their time in New York by volunteering at the Cary Leeds Tennis Center. Located in the poorest congressional district in the United States, these award winners will spend the day hitting with and mentoring many of the young teens coming up through the Cary Leeds developmental program.
Thanks to the generous support of Limoneira, the ITA is excited to bring all of these award winners together once again in 2023 for what will be an unforgettable experience for all in attendance.
Below is a complete list of the individuals who will be awarded this year in New York:
Award Winners to be Honored
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship | Ryan Fishback (Virginia Tech) |
| Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship | Natasha Subhash (Virginia) |
| Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship | Luca Mack (Valdosta State) |
| Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship | Ashley Penshorn (St. Mary’s) |
| Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship | Koby Murata (Pacific) |
| Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship | Janie Marcus (Pomona Pitzer) |
| Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship | Jered Wilson (XULA) |
| Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship | Bonolo Molefe (Lewis-Clark State) |
| Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship | Will McCullough (Meridian) |
| Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship | Hrudaya Shah (Tyler) |
| National Players of the Year | Eliot Spizzirri (Texas) |
| National Players of the Year | Fiona Crawley (North Carolina) |
| Ann Lebedeff Leadership Award | Nathan Turtledove (St. Lawrence) |
| Sally Ride STEM Award | McKenzie Ferrari (UMass Dartmouth) |
| Tennis for America VISTA Fellow | Maria Cioffi |
| Tennis for America VISTA Fellow | Alison Daigle |
| Tennis for America VISTA Fellow | Nikhil Gangoli |
| Tennis for America VISTA Fellow | Zenna Khazendar |
| Tennis for America VISTA Fellow | Adrian Laudani |
| Tennis for America VISTA Fellow | Makeilah Turner |
| Meritorious Service Award | John Shackelford |
| David A Benjamin Achievement Award | Cindy Brinker Simmons |
