Sports

Results: Texas A&M University captures third straight tennis title

Undaunted by rain, 2006 USA Team Tennis National Campus Championship carries on

National Champions Texas A&M University. Photo courtesy clubsportsphotos.com

The first day of the 7th Annual USA Team Tennis National Campus Championship had staff reminiscing (not happily) about the 2004 soccer championships that were deluged with rain on the final day of competition in Austin, Texas. What a difference it makes when the competition occurs on a hard court instead of grass, and when rain happens on day one of the tournament! After a night of torrential rains, where some parts of the city received over three inches of rain and grapefruit-sized hail, a cadre of 20 tournament staff and players cleared the courts of water with squeegees bright and early Friday morning, and play resumed by 9 a.m. at the University of Texas' Whitaker Tennis Facility.

Over 50 colleges and universities participated in the largest tennis championships ever, with 64 co-ed teams participating. The most familiar sight was Texas A&M University winning the National Title for the third year in a row. Anchored by veteran club members, TAMU defeated The University of Virginia 29-15 to capture the title.

The USA Team Tennis National Campus Championship is the culmination of the Tennis On Campus season. Over 300 schools throughout the nation currently participate in the Tennis On Campus program. Beginning this year, all 17 USTA Sections held Championships, with the winners receiving automatic bids to the National Championship.

NIRSA, USTA and the ITA, all of whom help coordinate the championships, would like to extend their thanks to the Division of Recreational Sports at the University of Texas at Austin for hosting, and to Randall Ford, Brian Stillman, and Chad McKenzie from UT, along with Stephanie Thompson from Texas State University, San Marcos for going the extra mile.

Tournament highlights include:

• National Champions - Texas A&M University
• Runner-up - University of Virginia
• Third Place - University of Michigan
• Fourth Place - Villanova University
• Silver Bracket Champions - University of Central Florida
• Bronze Bracket Champions - Western Washington University
• Copper Bracket Champions - Harvard University

For complete results, visit the NIRSA website.