TEMPE, AZ – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is pleased to announce the formation of the ITA Wheelchair Tennis Operating Committee. This committee will be made up of three coaches who will all serve two-year terms on the committee.
This inaugural committee will include Steven Baxter of Boise State, Chris Kelley of Michigan, and Tyler Mckay of Alabama. All of these individuals have been integral members of the adaptive sports community at their institutions and all bring years of knowledge and experience within the sport of wheelchair tennis.
“We have greatly appreciated our collaboration with the USTA over the recent years in our pursuit of gaining deeper insights into wheelchair tennis and identifying ways in which we can contribute meaningfully to the advancement of collegiate wheelchair tennis in the foreseeable future,” stated ITA COO, Dave Mullins. “I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to commence our work with Steve, Chris, and Tyler as we collectively endeavor to provide strategic guidance for this new ITA membership category and generate added value for collegiate wheelchair tennis programs.”
Divisional operating committees consist solely of coaches representing the coaches and programs in each of their regions. They are tasked with providing guidance and making important decisions as relating to competitive matters such as championships, tournament calendars, rankings, rules and play format.
The formation of the ITA Wheelchair Tennis Operating Committee continues the expansion of wheelchair tennis into collegiate athletics as well as the ITA, building on the announcement to offer an ITA membership category to advocate for both coaches and student-athletes who make up collegiate wheelchair tennis programs.
Currently, there are 12 programs that are active ITA members, and with continued support from the USTA and USOPC, the ITA hopes there will be many more programs in the coming years.
To learn more about collegiate wheelchair tennis or the institutions that currently sponsor the sport on their campus, please visit the ITA Collegiate Wheelchair landing page on the ITA website.
