USTA Florida Awards Edward Waters University with First-Ever HBCU Tennis Program Grant

JACKONSVILLE, FLA., October 7, 2024 – USTA Florida awarded its first-ever HBCU Tennis Program Grant to Edward Waters University (EWU), marking a significant milestone in both the university’s and USTA Florida’s history.  

Held at the Edward Waters University Tennis Complex on October 7, 2024, this event signified the official launch of USTA Florida’s HBCU Tennis Program Grant, which aims to provide critical funding to HBCU institutions in Florida. 

The grant, worth $100,000 will help EWU, the first Historically Black College in the state, further develop its tennis program, which played in its inaugural tennis season in the beginning of 2024. 

Laura Bowen, Executive Director of USTA Florida, highlighted the significance of the grant and USTA Florida’s commitment to HBCUs and the Black tennis community. “This grant is more than just money,” she said. “Today marks an important shift in USTA Florida’s history of service to our state and to the beautiful sport of tennis.” 

This grant is designed for immediate impact. EWU can apply the funds toward various needs, including court improvements, tennis equipment, scholarships for Florida students, and additional coach education. Bowen emphasized that this flexibility was shaped by conversations with Dr. Ivana Rich, Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics at EWU, and other HBCU leaders in Florida. 

Dr. Rich shared her vision for the growth of the university’s tennis program and the opportunities it will create for student-athletes. “We are deeply grateful to USTA Florida for awarding Edward Waters University this HBCU College Tennis Program Grant,” she said. “It represents a significant step forward for our newly established women’s tennis program and reinforces our commitment to providing quality athletic opportunities for our student-athletes. This support will enable us to enhance our tennis offerings, provide an exceptional experience for our student-athletes and engage more of our community in the sport of tennis.” 

The team is looking forward to putting the grant to use and Head Coach Marc Atkinson is excited to see the impact of the grant. “This HBCU Tennis grant will have a transformative effect on our tennis program and the student-athletes it serves,” he said. “With this grant, we will be able to purchase new equipment and training tools for our players, offer additional scholarships to attract talented student-athletes, and enhance our travel budget to compete in more tournaments.” 

Many of the players expressed their thanks to USTA Florida and are ready to get to work as the 2025 season approaches. “These improvements will not only benefit our current tennis players but will also help us attract and develop future talent, elevating the entire program to new heights,” Coach Atkinson added. 

Bowen closed out the event restating USTA Florida’s commitment to growing HBCUs and supporting EWU in any way possible. “This grant comes with a promise that we will continue to be your partner in growing this program for as long as it is in existence. We will stay connected with you, and together, we will develop more ways to support Edward Waters tennis.”