TEMPE, Ariz. – The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) officially announced last week the 2025-26 ITA Student-Athlete Council, a committee of 10 members who have been selected to represent more than 20,000 student-athletes competing in tennis at the collegiate level.

The student-athlete-led council, entering its third year of existence, is committed to providing 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).

Samantha Parris, a second-year member of the Coastal Alabama - South Women's Tennis program, was named to this year's ITA Student-Athlete Council, becoming the first Coyote to earn the honor. "I am very excited to join the ITA Student-Athlete Council for the year 2025-2026," said Parris. "I am looking forward to not only sharing and exchanging ideas with other college students around the country, but also the leadership development opportunities this council may present."

"We're thrilled to announce the new class of ITA Student-Athlete Council members for the 2025-26 season," said Elicia Smith, the ITA's Community Manager and Digital Product Coordinator. "In just two years, the Council has become an invaluable part of the ITA, launching several transformative initiatives. We're excited to see this new group build on that success and find more ways to invest in and improve the student-athlete experience in college tennis."

This year's Student-Athlete Council will build on the initiatives and progress made by the first two classes, which have seen advancements such as monthly student-athlete spotlights aimed at highlighting diverse individuals within our sport, the development of the ITA Student-Athlete Podcast, the relaunch of the ITA Community Service Challenge, and the launch of the ITA Student-Athlete Mentorship Program.

Each of the members will spend the next year working to better the student-athlete experience at every level of the sport and will meet each month to discuss pressing issues and initiatives that are of the utmost importance to each council member.

 

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