ITA College Connect

ITA COLLEGE CONNECT

SIMPLIFYING THE COLLEGE TENNIS PATHWAY FOR JUNIOR TENNIS PLAYERS

SO YOU WANT TO PLAY COLLEGE TENNIS?

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is the governing body of college tennis and coaches association. The ITA is committed to serving college tennis and returning the leaders of tomorrow while promoting both the athletic and academic achievements of the collegiate tennis community. As the governing body of collegiate tennis, the ITA provides resources and updated information to assist prospective student-athletes (PSA) and their families through the college tennis pathway. College tennis offers abundant opportunities for players of diverse skill levels.

If you possess a genuine passion for the sport, a strong work ethic, and aspire to be part of a team, we believe there is a college team for you. As you begin this journey, keep in mind that a fulfilling college tennis experience includes various elements: location, academic opportunities, campus life, team dynamics, and much more. We urge you to stay open minded during the process and give due consideration to factors beyond tennis. Ultimately, college tennis is about pursuing higher education in the classroom while forging relationships and creating memories that last a lifetime.

At any point in this process, simply click the blue "FIND A COLLEGE FOR YOUR LEVEL" button, input your gender and current WTN rating, and a list of colleges tailored to your current WTN will be generated.

FIND A COLLEGE FOR YOUR LEVEL

+1,850

PROGRAMS

+3,000

COACHES

+19,300

STUDENT-ATHLETES

+7,400

SCHOLARSHIPS

Understanding
The College
Tennis Pathway

Step One:

Understanding Divisions in College Tennis

Step Two:

The College Tennis Playing Levels

Step Three:

What Am I Looking For?

Step Four:

Where Might I Be Eligible To Play?

Step FIVE:

Researching College Tennis Programs

Step SIX:

Creating A Recruiting Video

Step SEVEN:

Contacting A Coach

Step EIGHT:

Your First Conversation With A Coach

Step Nine:

Taking an Official or Unofficial Visit

Step Ten:

Making A Decision

Step Eleven:

Frequently Asked Questions

Understanding Divisions in College Tennis

College tennis consists of 1,850 + institutions across seven divisions of various sizes, scholarship abilities, and eligibility requirements. Understand these differences before continuing on.

Terms To Know

Division & Scholarship Comparison Chart

The College Tennis Playing Levels

College tennis features a wide range of tennis abilities. Use the links below to see where you might fit.

I Know My WTN Rating

Explore WTN Player Ranges

I Don't Know My WTN Rating

WTN Website

Why WTN is important

WTN's Importance

What Am I Looking For?

Understanding what you are looking for in your college tennis and academic experience is an important part of finding the right fit.

A good college experience should be about more than the level of the team you might play on. We encourage all PSAs to consider key areas such as: academics, social & campus life, school location, & team atmosphere, to name a few.

Below are some questions we suggest you answer as you begin this journey.

Questions To Ask Yourself

Where Might I Be Eligible To Play?

A PSAs eligibility to compete for a college tennis team and receive a scholarship is dependent on the organization that oversees athletics at that particular university. The ITA is not an eligibility center and has no authority over decisions regarding eligibility.

Understand Eligibility Basics

Researching College Tennis Programs

We suggest creating a list of ~15 schools that you believe are a good fit for you. Use the links below to help you find schools with college tennis programs.

Research Tips
• Include schools that meet most of your criteria
• Consider looking at different divisions and areas of the country
• Start with a list of schools that you can play for based on your WTN by using the "Find A College For Your Level" tool

Find School Based On WTN

Find A College For Your Level

Find School Based On Ranking

Find Fit

Find School Based On Division

Find Fit

College Contact List Tracking Sheet

Template

Creating A Recruiting Video

Recording Suggestions

Do's and Don'ts

Contacting A Coach

Sample Email

Do's and Don'ts

Contact Restrictions

Finding Contact Info

Your First Conversation With A Coach

Sample Questions to Ask

Do's and Don'ts

Taking an Official or Unofficial Visit

The Basics of Visits

Do's and Don'ts

Making A Decision

What Is An NLI and Signing Dates

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if I have contacted a coach several times and have not heard back from him/her?

Unfortunately, no response from a coach probably means they are not interested in you. College coaches are very busy and some programs receive hundreds of recruiting emails every semester. Some coaches will let you know they aren't interested, but others won't or do not have the time to respond to everyone.

Can I play college tennis if I’m studying at a university outside of the USA and want to transfer?

Yes. The NCAA has “progress towards degree” benchmarks. If the American college or university to which you hope to transfer approves the classes you are taking at your current university, and if you meet the transfer requirements, it is unlikely you will have issues with your eligibility from an academic perspective. It is important that you work closely with the NCAA Compliance Officer of the school you intend to transfer to.

How and why do Ivy League, Patriot League, and Division III universities offer Financial Aid instead of Athletic Scholarships?

These universities provide financial aid to athletes only on the basis of financial need as determined by each institution’s Financial Aid Office. A coach may assist a prospective student-athlete to obtain an estimated financial aid award. However, only the Financial Aid Office has the authority to determine financial aid awards. They do not offer athletic scholarships purely on a philosophical and historical basis. Often players may end up receiving more money in a financial aid package than they would if they received an athletic scholarship from a different institution. Do not rule out these tennis programs because they don’t offer athletic scholarships until you get a sense of the type of financial aid package for which you may be qualified.

What happens if I get sick or injured?

Most athletic departments take the physical and mental health and wellness of their student-athletes very seriously. Typically, if injuries occur while training or on the tennis court, the university will cover any costs above and beyond what your own health insurance will cover. A coach cannot take away your scholarship during the school year if you get injured. However, depending on the institution, they may not renew the scholarship for the next school year. Every university and division has different policies.

How do I transfer to another university?

If you want to transfer, you need to inform the coach and the compliance department of your intention to transfer and request to be placed in the Transfer Portal (NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II and III). Once you ask the compliance administrator to place your name in the portal, the athletic department has two business days to submit the information and you will receive a confirmation email from the NCAA. Understand that one of the downsides of entering the portal is that your athletic department can reduce or stop awarding your athletic aid at the end of the term in which the transfer request was made. Once your name appears in the Transfer Portal, you can officially speak with other college coaches. Coaches are NOT ALLOWED to speak with you unless you are placed in the Transfer Portal.

What is a multi-year athletic agreement?

Universities can offer athletic scholarships for more than one year. A multi-year agreement requires the university to provide a scholarship to the student-athlete in accordance with the terms and conditions of the agreement. However, the agreement does not bind the student-athlete to the institution any more than the current transfer rules – he or she may transfer during the term of the award. If a student-athlete signs an NLI, he or she cannot transfer during the initial year of competition without penalty.

When can a scholarship offer be made by the coach?

A written scholarship offer cannot be made until your senior year in high school. However, a verbal offer may be made by the coach at any time before this. Technically they should not be made before June 15 after your sophomore year in high school because there is no way for an NCAA coach to communicate with you until that time. This verbal offer is not legally binding, and there are no legal consequences for either party changing their mind whether the scholarship was verbal or written. The agreement is not binding until the National Letter of Intent is signed and returned to the University.

Should I use a recruiting service to help me with the recruiting process?

Recruiting services can be very helpful for a variety of reasons. Many PSAs use the help of an outside service if they have a complicated athletic case (i.e. played too many events without going to school), are confused about the process or have a lower WTN/ranking than coaches are interested in. We suggest you go through each step in our pathway, first, to see if doing the process yourself is possible.

What is the difference between NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) vs Revenue Share?

NIL is the ability for college athletes to profit from the commercial use of their name, image, and likeness, without jeopardizing their NCAA eligibility. For example, athletes can be influencers for companies, or appear in advertisements.

Revenue sharing is the ability for universities to directly share athletic department revenue with student-athletes in the form of direct payments. Revenue sharing is only available to NCAA Division I student-athletes at universities that have "opted'in" to the house settlement.

Both options allow student-athletes to receive additional money on top of their scholarships and cost of attendance.

TRN Article: The Question College Coaches Wish Recruits Wouldn't Ask

https://tennisrecruiting.net/article.asp?id=11841

Advice for International Student-Athletes

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