Tempe, AZ – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is pleased to announce today the selection of Abigail Williams from The College of Wooster as the recipient of the 2026 ITA Sally Ride STEM Award as endowed by Tam O’Shaughnessy.
“Abigail Williams exemplifies the very qualities that the ITA Sally Ride STEM Award was created to celebrate,” stated ITA CEO, David Mullins. “Her commitment to excellence in the classroom, on the tennis court, and in pursuit of her future aspirations reflects the extraordinary impact that student-athletes can have when they combine intellectual curiosity and determination. We are proud to recognize Abigail as the 2026 recipient of this prestigious award and grateful to Tam O’Shaughnessy for her continued commitment to empowering the next generation of women leaders in STEM and beyond.”
By being named the recipient of the award, Williams will be honored with a $8,000 postgraduate scholarship to pursue her future ambitions, while the Wooster women’s tennis team will receive a $2,000 donation in her honor.
“I am very grateful to receive the 2026 ITA Sally Ride STEM Award,” said 2026 recipient, Abigail Williams. “Despite the challenges she faced, Dr. Sally Ride pursued her passions and paved the way for women in both tennis and STEM. Like her, I hope to break down barriers and use my passions to make a difference for others. She continues to inspire women both on and off the court, and it is an honor to help carry on her legacy.”
Facing adversity from a young age, Williams was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) as a toddler, a chronic illness that causes those affected with difficulties performing basic tasks due to mobility restraints.
However, for Williams, though these challenges persisted she never once used this illness as an excuse and has persevered through many difficult moments to get to where she is at today.
Defying all odds by enrolling at Wooster to play college tennis, Williams made an immediate impact on the team when she stepped on campus, showcasing her passion and joy for tennis that was so infectious it spread throughout the entire team.
“I am thrilled to learn that Abby is the 2026 ITA Sally Ride STEM Award winner,” said Wooster women’s tennis head coach, Amy Behrman. “Throughout her time at The College of Wooster, Abby has been an integral part of our campus community as a STEM mentor and a leader on our team. Despite facing numerous physical challenges that interrupted her time on the court, she continued to show up for her teammates and performed at the highest level in the classroom. Her tremendous work ethic, resilience, and love for tennis and STEM alike, exemplifies the spirit of this award. Our team is incredibly proud of all Abby has accomplished thus far and excited to see what the future holds for her at the University of Pennsylvania. Thank you to Tam O’Shaughnessy for establishing and endowing this award and to the ITA Award Committee for recognizing Abby as this year’s winner.”
Recently graduating from The College of Wooster with a degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Williams is driven by the desire to help others facing chronic illnesses similar to her.
With plans to pursue her Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania, Williams will be studying Cell and Molecular Biology with a concentration in Microbiology, Virology, and Parasitology. Through this, Williams aims to learn the skills needed for an impactful career in vaccinology.
Just the fifth recipient of the award, Williams joins Jessica Lu (MIT, 2025), Hannah Kassaie (Case Western Reserve University, 2024), Mckenzie Ferrari (University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth, 2023), and Anna Tifrea (California Institute of Technology, 2022) as winners of this award.
“I am extremely excited that Abigail Williams is being honored with the 2026 ITA Sally Ride STEM Award”, said Tam O’Shaughnessy. “Abigail is an extraordinary student-athlete. Despite some health challenges, she remains positive and demonstrates a tremendous tenacity, work ethic, and passion for STEM and tennis. Sally would love—as much as I do— that Abigail will be supported in her dream of continuing her studies in Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Pennsylvania for her PhD.”
The ITA Sally Ride STEM Award as endowed by Tam O’Shaughnessy was created to honor a female student-athlete who demonstrates zeal, dedication, and perseverance towards her tennis training and competition, STEM studies, and long-term goals. The recipient of the award will receive a grant in the amount of eight thousand dollars ($8,000) to pursue her dreams. The award money given to the student-athlete may be used in any way she wishes [e.g., tuition, books, rent, etc.] Additionally, two-thousand dollars ($2,000) will be donated to the women’s tennis program of the institution from which the award winner graduated.
About the ITA – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is the governing body and coaches association of college tennis, both an advocate and an authority for the sport and its members. Comprised of 1,260 colleges and universities, 20,000 student-athletes, 1,800 varsity programs, 3,000 coaches, and 1,350 college tennis officials, the ITA empowers college tennis coaches at all levels to deliver vibrant tennis programs that are vital to their college communities and transformational to their student-athletes. Follow college tennis on the ITA website and ITA social channels on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.
