British Tennis Forum - Celebrating 20 Years!

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

General college chat 2024/25

Lambda · ATP level

Talia Neilsen-Gatenby (Florida) is reported to have entered the transfer portal.

I'm not wholly surprised to be honest. The coach that recruited her left at the beginning of the season and it's been a difficult season for her and the Florida team in general. It may be her decision to seek a fresh start somewhere else or it may be the new coach wanting a clean start with his own recruits. Either way it could be good for her. Be interesting where she ends up.

Tennpar · Club Coach

Lambda wrote:
If they are not playing, then they'd still be part of the team, attend individual and team training and dress for matches. They've just got to work on their game to get back into the team. I don't think a scholarship would be cancelled unless they weren't meeting their grades or other commitments or conduct. My understanding is that scholarships are for 1 year and its only at the end of the year that they could be released by not renewing the scholarship if the tennis performance doesn't meet expectations or no longer fit into the coach's plan. But I defer to those that have been through the system. They can transfer, but only if the school agrees. Transfers for undergraduates can only take place during the transfer window, opening today, for 1 month or another short one in, I think, December. They can't place themselves in the transfer portal, the school's athletics administrator has to do it for them.

Its not uncommon for coaches to choose for players to sit out their first year to get used to the college environment and familiarise themselves with the US College game. Indeed, this was the plan for Millie Rajecki but injuries on the team changed that plan. It may well have been the plan for Isa but that Virginia have gone through the entire semester with injuries to key players has given her opportunities that weren't planned for, I don't know.

Lambda,

I thought that generally, the scholarships were for 3 years, so long as you're up together with the academics and that this applies even if you're not a regular team player or are injured, unless things have changed recently?

Lambda · ATP level

Tennpar wrote:

Lambda wrote:
If they are not playing, then they'd still be part of the team, attend individual and team training and dress for matches. They've just got to work on their game to get back into the team. I don't think a scholarship would be cancelled unless they weren't meeting their grades or other commitments or conduct. My understanding is that scholarships are for 1 year and its only at the end of the year that they could be released by not renewing the scholarship if the tennis performance doesn't meet expectations or no longer fit into the coach's plan. But I defer to those that have been through the system. They can transfer, but only if the school agrees. Transfers for undergraduates can only take place during the transfer window, opening today, for 1 month or another short one in, I think, December. They can't place themselves in the transfer portal, the school's athletics administrator has to do it for them.

Its not uncommon for coaches to choose for players to sit out their first year to get used to the college environment and familiarise themselves with the US College game. Indeed, this was the plan for Millie Rajecki but injuries on the team changed that plan. It may well have been the plan for Isa but that Virginia have gone through the entire semester with injuries to key players has given her opportunities that weren't planned for, I don't know.
Lambda,
I thought that generally, the scholarships were for 3 years, so long as you're up together with the academics and that this applies even if you're not a regular team player or are injured, unless things have changed recently?

I'll bow to your greater knowledge. I'm only repeating what I've heard (or misheard?) on podcasts.

Lambda · ATP level

Lambda wrote:
Talia Neilsen-Gatenby (Florida, freshman) is reported to have entered the transfer portal.

Roan Jones (Alabama, Junior) is also looking for a new college for his senior year.
Even though he played a full season for Alabama and their season is over, they've removed him from this year's roster on the website.

Tennpar · Club Coach

Lambda wrote:
Tennpar wrote:

Lambda wrote:
If they are not playing, then they'd still be part of the team, attend individual and team training and dress for matches. They've just got to work on their game to get back into the team. I don't think a scholarship would be cancelled unless they weren't meeting their grades or other commitments or conduct. My understanding is that scholarships are for 1 year and its only at the end of the year that they could be released by not renewing the scholarship if the tennis performance doesn't meet expectations or no longer fit into the coach's plan. But I defer to those that have been through the system. They can transfer, but only if the school agrees. Transfers for undergraduates can only take place during the transfer window, opening today, for 1 month or another short one in, I think, December. They can't place themselves in the transfer portal, the school's athletics administrator has to do it for them.

Its not uncommon for coaches to choose for players to sit out their first year to get used to the college environment and familiarise themselves with the US College game. Indeed, this was the plan for Millie Rajecki but injuries on the team changed that plan. It may well have been the plan for Isa but that Virginia have gone through the entire semester with injuries to key players has given her opportunities that weren't planned for, I don't know.
Lambda,
I thought that generally, the scholarships were for 3 years, so long as you're up together with the academics and that this applies even if you're not a regular team player or are injured, unless things have changed recently?

I'll bow to your greater knowledge. I'm only repeating what I've heard (or misheard?) on podcasts.

You might well be right, I suspect some college sports are feeling the pinch financially (with some tennis teams being closed down) , and it probably differs between colleges too

Lambda · ATP level

I've done some looking around. Most agencies for US sport scholarships do say they need to be renewed each year.

According to keystone sports https://keystonesports.uk/how-to-get-a-fully-funded-sports-scholarship-in-the-usa/
Full ride scholarships, like all offers, are one-year agreements that are renewed annually.

Lambda · ATP level

Wake Forest (Robertson, Pow), Stanford (Basing) and UCLA (Revelli) progress to the final site in the 3 men's L16 matches on Friday.

Wake (1) defeated Texas A&M (16) 4-0. Charlie played No 3, Luca No 6. Both were unfinished.
Stanford (4) defeated South Carolina (13) (Thomson). Max getting the clinch once again at No 3. Connor was unfinished at No 1
UCLA defeated USC (Weightman). Oscar lost at No 3 for USC. Giacomo Revelli didn't play singles.

Our women are done for the 2025 season with Virginia (Lacy) being upset and NC State (Paskauskas X2, Conway) also going out.

Virginia (7) were upset by Tennessee (10) 0-4. Isabelle didn't play. It's the 2nd year running Tennessee have upset their hosts in the last 16.
NC State (12) lost to UNC (5) 2-4. Jasmine+ saved multiple match points to come back from a break down to win 8-6 in the tie break to secure the doubles point for NC State. Gabia at No 6 was the only singles win for NC State. Kristina lost in 3 sets.
Elsewhere in the women's, the top 2 seeds Georgia and Texas A&M made it through easily, Duke (8) defeated Auburn (9), Liv Hovde unfinished despite serving for the match on at least 3 occasions. Ohio State(4) were upset by Louisiana State (13), all the more of a surprise after Ohio State won doubles.

-- Edited by Lambda on Saturday 10th of May 2025 09:15:07 AM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Sad to see the women all done and dusted. I make it 4 men still playing their last 16 matches Saturday that could possibly join the 4 through to next weekend. Fingers crossed

Lambda · ATP level

Lambda wrote:
Jasmine+ saved multiple match points to come back from a break down to win 8-6 in the tie break to secure the doubles point for UNC.

I did of course mean Jasmine+ won the doubles point for NC State. She hasn't transferred. The perils of posting when I should be asleep.

NC State have done better than I, and I think the pundits, expected this season in the rankings at least. They should be safe in the top 14 in the rankings to be a host for next year's kick off weekend, which is better than they did last year with all the seniors they had. Having no players that graduate this year, they should return the same 8 women next year with the addition of Victoria Osuigwe. With the same roster being returned, barring transfers, and although their No 1 will be out for some time recovering from tearing her ACL, lateral and medial meniscus that has giving Gabia some court time at the end of the season, it is troubling to see with a top 600 WTA player joining the team where Gabia will get her chances to play. And will Jasmine be consigned to being a doubles only college player? After a strong summer and autumn outside of college tennis, Kristina hasn't done as well in college tennis. Indeed, she is the only one of NC State's 7 singles players this year not to be in the top 125 singles rankings. There's some work for the 3 British girls to do over the summer and autumn to improve and claim their place in the NC State line up.

I think its fair to say Isabelle has not found the transition to college tennis easy. Aside from the weekend of the National Indoor Championships, she has not got any standout results and has mostly gone unfinished in her matches. I'm not sure whether she is carrying an injury as to her poor results at the ACC Championships and not being selected to play in the NCAAs after being submitted in the No 5 singles position or whether she has genuinely slipped down the order to outside the top 6/7/8. Virginia were missing their No 2 singles yesterday so played their players submitted as No7 and No8 in the No 5 and No 6 positions. Whether Isabelle would have played if she had been submitted further down the order is an unanswered question, but submitting her too far down the order may have been subjected to protests. We'll wait to see if Isabelle perseveres with Virginia or like some others seeks a fresh start somewhere else. Virginia have 3 of their regular 6 singles graduating and have Katie Rolls and Blair Gill coming in. Barring any further recruitment activity, Isabelle should get a place in the singles line up next year if she sticks with it and if she can find her form that should be at No 3 or No 4, but if she doesn't then it may be at 5 or 6.

Elegant Point · Futures qualifying

Tennpar wrote:
Lambda wrote:
If they are not playing, then they'd still be part of the team, attend individual and team training and dress for matches. They've just got to work on their game to get back into the team. I don't think a scholarship would be cancelled unless they weren't meeting their grades or other commitments or conduct. My understanding is that scholarships are for 1 year and its only at the end of the year that they could be released by not renewing the scholarship if the tennis performance doesn't meet expectations or no longer fit into the coach's plan. But I defer to those that have been through the system. They can transfer, but only if the school agrees. Transfers for undergraduates can only take place during the transfer window, opening today, for 1 month or another short one in, I think, December. They can't place themselves in the transfer portal, the school's athletics administrator has to do it for them.

Its not uncommon for coaches to choose for players to sit out their first year to get used to the college environment and familiarise themselves with the US College game. Indeed, this was the plan for Millie Rajecki but injuries on the team changed that plan. It may well have been the plan for Isa but that Virginia have gone through the entire semester with injuries to key players has given her opportunities that weren't planned for, I don't know.
Lambda,
I thought that generally, the scholarships were for 3 years, so long as you're up together with the academics and that this applies even if you're not a regular team player or are injured, unless things have changed recently?

Agree with TP, generally scholarship is assumed to be for the whole degree course unless something drastically changes, otherwise players would never commit, although often contract states 1 year renewal. I know of players where the coach promised a guaranteed 4 years of scholarship.

Many reasons why players go on the transfer portal, the ones Ive heard about have been where the player doesnt settle at the chosen college for many reasons- academics too hard, homesickness, doesnt get on with the coach, not selected to play on the team etc. Player gets asked to leave as caught smoking or taking drugs, coach reneges on agreed scholarship amount, player performs better than expected and looks for a more lucrative deal, college stops tennis.

Lambda · ATP level

TCU (2) back at full strength for the first time in a couple of months wipe the floor over UCF (15) 4-0 with Katie Swan - in town for her brother's graduation ceremonies this weekend - watching on.

Lui Maxted at No 3 got the final point for TCU in a straight sets win.
Jack Pinnington unfinished a set up on 1.

Ohio State (5) were upset by Mississippi State (12) 2-4 for their second home loss in a matter of weeks.
Will Jansen at No 4 losing a 2nd set tie-break to give Mississippi State the clinch point.

Lambda · ATP level

Tennessee's match at Texas is in a long weather delay but given that Texas has the doubles point and 5 1st sets I think its safe to say Texas will end up the winner.
Lance Nisbet (Tennessee) still got to play at No 3 doubles despite entering the transfer portal this week, but was on the wrong side of a 5-7 result.

Columbus and Virginia are other men's teams through. Virginia's match featured a very high quality match between Colton Smith and Rafael Jodar, surely 2 future top 50 ATP stars that was won by Smith.

The QFs will be
Wake Forest (1) v Columbia (8)
Stanford (4) v Mississippi State (12)

Texas (3) or Tennessee (14) v UCLA
TCU (2) v Virginia (7)

-- Edited by Lambda on Saturday 10th of May 2025 09:35:09 PM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Good to see what looks like 6 or even 7 men still in for finals weekend. Outside the USA itself, GB must be up there with the most represented? Is each team an 8 player squad, so maybe 64 players - and we have 6 or 7? Thats decent.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

UCLA have , in face value, done well to react to elite eight unseeded. Has there been a surprise up tick in form, or something people missed when doing the seedings? Or players returned from injury?

Good luck to the 4 teams left with GB players - we are all fans now!