The Fordham club tennis team was founded two and a half years ago. The members came together to play tennis, but also were working towards a major goal. The goal was to have not merely a recreational team, but to create a competitive club tennis team. This year, that dream became a reality.
The Fordham University Club Tennis Team is recognized by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) as an official team. This entitles them to compete against other colleges and universities, such as New York University, Columbia University and Stony Brook University. These matches will be taking place throughout the year.
As part of the Eastern Section of the USTA, the Fordham Club Tennis Team will be participating in the Eastern sectionals taking place during the first weekend of October. This is a huge event for the team, as multiple university teams compete at the sectionals for a chance to go to the national tournament.
Before all of this happens, however, the Fordham team is hosting two of its own events on the Hawthorn/Rooney Tennis Complex courts. The first of these is a club tennis tournament, which is taking place on Friday, Sept. 25, and Saturday, Sept. 26. The tournament is open to players of all skill levels and requires a $5 entry fee; special prizes will be given to those in the finals. Sign-ups for this tournament will be taking place in the McGinley Center Lobby from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9 through Friday, Sept. 11. Be on the lookout for the sign up table!
The second event the team is hosting will be the tryouts for the team. These are taking place on Tuesday, Sept. 29 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., and again on Thursday, Oct. 1 from 7 to 8 p.m. The team will consist of 14 members, with additional spots available for substitutes. Anyone can try out for the team, just be sure to bring your racket and waiver to the tryouts.
The Club Tennis Team is excited to kick off its first official year as a USTA recognized team. Returning members are thrilled to be a part of this monumental experience, and are happy to welcome any new players to the team. In the words of founder and president of the Fordham University Club Tennis Team, Valerie Marquez Edwards, “When we started our club in 2013, we made being a competitive USTA team our main goal. Two and a half years later, we’ve accomplished this goal. And my hope is that our team’s passion for the game and excitement for the prospect of competing will translate into a successful and memorable first season.”
