The US College pathway provides an exciting opportunity for athletes to continue developing their tennis while at the same time gaining a university degree, with the option to still pursue a professional tennis career. There are approximately 315 universities currently competing in NCAA Division 1 tennis. Each university can offer up to 8.0 scholarships for the women’s program and 4.5 scholarships for the men’s program. Student athletes receive excellent academic and athletic support with access to outstanding facilities and opportunities to compete both individually and as part of a team.

> LEARN MORE: Things to consider when choosing a US College

Intercollegiate Divisions

The NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA are the governing organisations of collegiate athletics within the United States. Click the links below for more information:

> NCAA – National Collegiate Athletic Association

> NAIA – National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics

> NJCAA – National Junior College Athletic Association

> CCCAA – California Community College Athletic Association 

> ITA – Intercollegiate Tennis Association

College to Pro

College tennis has proven to be a successful pathway to professional tennis. As at July 2024, there are 19 former college players currently ranked in the ATP/WTA Top 100 – Danielle Collins (University of Virginia), Emma Navarro (University of Virginia), Diana Shnaider (North Carolina State University), Peyton Stearns (University of Texas), Lulu Sun (University of Texas), Mayar Sherif (Pepperdine University), Ben Shelton (University of Florida), Francisco Cerundolo (University of South Carolina), Cameron Norrie (Texas Christian University), Marcos Giron (UCLA), Nuno Borgues (Mississippi State University), Brandon Nakashima (University of Virginia), Dominik Koepfer (Tulane University), Aleks Vukic (University of Illinois), Arthur Rinderknech (Texas A&M University), Rinky Hijikata (University of North Carolina), Aleksander Kovacevic (University of Illinois), Adam Walton (University of Tennessee), Mackenzie McDonald (UCLA).

In addition to this, there are currently 30 former college players in the ATP/WTA Top 50 doubles rankings including several Grand Slam champions.

Other notable former college players include James Blake, John Isner, Kevin Anderson, Steve Johnson, Bob and Mike Bryan, and Lisa Raymond.

Notable Australian athletes who have recently come through the college pathway include:

Tennis Australia Commitment

Due to the success of the college pathway, Tennis Australia have introduced a college program as part of the National Tennis Academy (NTA) that is designed to support the best Australian players currently playing college tennis. This program includes support and communication from a dedicated staff member, coach support at designated pro events, access to facilities and resources at the NTA, and financial assistance.

Useful Resources

• NCAA 2023 – 2024 athlete guide
• NCAA eligibility
• Amateurism certification basics
• International academic requirements