TEMPE, AZ - The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is delighted to announce the ten student-athletes who will make up the inaugural class of the ITA Student-Athlete Council. 

The ITA Student-Athlete Council is a committee of student-athletes who play college tennis assembled to provide insights regarding the sport with a special emphasis on the student-athlete experience. The goals of this committee are as follows: Present a student-athlete voice within the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) (1), Offer input regarding matters pertaining to the sport, particularly issues impacting the lives of student-athletes (2), Work to enhance the student-athlete experience specific to college tennis across all divisions (3), Invest in the leaders of tomorrow by creating leadership and professional development opportunities (4).

"The ITA stands at the forefront of collegiate athletics coaching associations, upholding a legacy of excellence," stated ITA COO, David Mullins. "As college athletics undergoes a dynamic transformation, our commitment to staying ahead necessitates a continuous engagement with a diverse array of stakeholders. Introducing the ITA Student-Athlete Council, we take a significant stride towards addressing the core concerns that resonate with our current student-athletes, who are poised to shape the future of our industry and lead in various spheres in the years to come."

Coming from a gender-diverse historically women's college in Smith College, Marielle Sauber (The Woodlands, TX/The John Cooper School) hopes to advocate for further inclusion of all players across college tennis. As the representative of tennis on the Smith College Student-Athlete Advisory Council, Sauber has already spent time building welcoming communities on the campus of Smith College and hopes to do the same across college tennis in this role. Sauber's goals for this position are to ensure that the ITA is advocating for every college tennis player, regardless of program size or personal ranking. 

"As a member of the ITA Student-Athlete Council, I look forward to advocating for diversity, inclusion, and representation within the ITA," said Sauber. "I hope to make LGBTQ+ and gender nonconforming athletes, athletes from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, and athletes from all divisions feel welcomed and supported in the college tennis world." 

In total, ten student-athletes were chosen to represent college tennis players from across all levels of our sport. This inaugural class includes three student-athletes from the Division I level, two student-athletes from the Division II and Division III levels, as well as one student-athlete from the NAIA, JUCO, and wheelchair sectors of our sport.

Each of these ten student-athletes elected will bring a unique perspective of our sport to the Student-Athlete Council and are sure to advocate for each and every one of the over 19,000 student-athletes who take part in college tennis each year. 

As an ITA Board Member, Clarisse Baca, as coach of the Academy of the Arts, helped to launch this exciting new endeavor.  She commented, " Returning the leaders of tomorrow is one of the missions of the ITA. With the ITA Student-Athlete Council, students across the country from different divisions and conferences, will have the opportunity to contribute to the enhancement of college tennis on and off the court. College athletics is changing by the minute and now more than ever we need their involvement and creative ideas to make sure that our sport continues to flourish!"

About the NEWMAC

The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with four Associate Members: Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime (Football) and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), while sponsoring 20 sports.  

(Release courtesy of Smith Sports Information)