Before Hurricane Irene hit, award winner Amy Zhang of Rutgers joined former New York City
Mayor David Dinkins and ITA Executive Director David Benjamin on local radio station WLIB.
**Click here to listen to David Benjamin and
Amy Zhang on Dialogue with Dinkins**
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Hurricane Irene Forces Cancelation of ITA Luncheon That included the annual luncheon recognizing two of the most talented groups of college tennis players: the ITA All-Star Team and the ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. National Leadership and Sportsmanship Award Winners. “It was with great regret that we had to cancel our 2011 ITA Awards Luncheon, hosted by the USTA in the President’s Dining Room during Arthur Ashe Kids Day,” said ITA Executive Director David A. Benjamin. “This was the first time that this very special awards ceremony has not taken place since its inauguration in 1984, when Arthur Ashe personally presented our ITA student-athlete honorees with their awards. “We would like to once again thank USTA President Jon Vegosen for his willingness to host our awards luncheon and help present these awards, along with former Mayor David Dinkins, and also congratulate our 2011 ITA All-Star Team and ITA/Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Winners.” The 28th ITA All-Star Team includes the nation's top-ranked men's and women's players from the year-end Campbell/ITA College Tennis Rankings, as well as winners of the 2010 ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships and 2011 NCAA Division I Championships. Among the 23 players scheduled to be honored Saturday were Steve Johnson of USC and Jana Juricova of the University of California, the Campbell/ITA National Players of the Year.
Each year, the ITA/Arthur Ashe Jr. National Leadership and Sportsmanship Award is given to one outstanding male player and one outstanding female player from each division of college tennis. Recipients have exhibited excellent sportsmanship and leadership as well as scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements. The 2011 honorees are:
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Though the luncheon was called off, seven of the award winners braved the storm and remained in New York City to compete in the main draw of the US Open.
As the NCAA Division I singles champion, Johnson received a men's singles wild card and men’s doubles wild card alongside countryman Denis Kudla. The 2011 NCAA Division I doubles champions Jeff Dadamo/Austin Krajicek of Texas A&M and Hilary Barte/Mallory Burdette of Stanford also earned doubles wild cards.
ITA All-Stars Rhyne Williams of Tennessee and Michael Shabaz of Virginia round out a college-filled men’s doubles draw. The ex-Volunteer Williams will team with 2005 US Open singles semifinalist Robby Ginepri, while the Cavalier grad Shabaz is partnering former Florida Gator Ryan Sweeting.
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Past ITA All-Star Teams |
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2003 All-Star Team |
2004 All-Star Team |
2005 All-Star Team |
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2006 All-Star Team |
2007 All-Star Team |
2008 All-Star Team |
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2009 All-Star Team |
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