How International Athletes Get Recruited to Play College Tennis

NCAA Tennis Recruiting

Increase your tennis recruiting chances by stepping up and starting your own team research. Don’t get complacent and wait for college coaches to find you; start sending out e-mails and connecting with them on social media sites. Make your name noticed. The NCAA programs want to make their teams the best; the earlier they know who you are, the better.

What if You are Not in the Top 150?

Not all college sports teams are looking for outstanding tournament players; yes, college coaches want to win, but they also know that tennis is a sport where athletes sometimes develop later in their careers. College coaches are looking for junior players with the right type of skills, game plays, and attitudes that will be easy to coach and strengthen.

International Tennis Athletes by the Numbers

International tennis players who work hard developing their tennis game, attend US tournaments, and reach out to coaches will have opportunities to play at the NCAA college level. In a recent calculation of the current top 10 NCAA tennis programs, I discovered numbers that are favorable to both international and US student athletes looking to be a part of an NCAA tennis program. Keep in mind that these numbers are only from the top 10 champion teams in each division.

Men’s Tennis	Division I	Division II	Division III
Percentage of international players on top 10 tennis teams	34%	74%	13%
Average number of international players (per top 10 tennis teams)	4	7	1
Highest number of international players on a single team	6- Virginia	11-Lander	13- NC Wesleyan
Average Team size	11	10	14

Women’s Tennis	Division I	Division II	Division III
Percentage of international players on top 10 tennis teams	29%	62%	1%
Average number of international players (per top 10 tennis teams)	2	6	1
Highest number of international players on a single team	6- Miami	11-Barry	1-Middlebury
Average Team size	9	9	12

Quick Facts

All top 10 Division I teams for both men’s and women’s tennis have at least one international player per team. Out of the top 10 Division II teams, there were at least two international players per team; men’s Division II college tennis teams average the most international players with seven players, whereas women’s Division II averages six international players per team.

International students are welcomed into NCAA athletic programs because of the versatility they will be able to bring to college tennis programs. It can be a harder process for international students to get recruited to play any sport at the NCAA college level, especially if they do not have the opportunity to gain exposure at US tournaments or showcases, where college coaches tend to hang out.

All Tennis Players Will Have to Work Hard to Get Recruited

All tennis recruits will need to take the initiative and reach out to college coaches. Ask questions, research the college, and ask to meet the coach in person. Coaches who have heard directly from student athletes will be more willing to extend scholarship offers to student athletes they have actually met and have seen play.

Coaches are seeking athletes who will easily fit into their team and who exude well-rounded student athlete characteristics. Be that athlete.

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