University of Minnesota Athletics
Baseline Tennis Center Lands Another USTA National Award
9/10/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
For the second time in five months, the University of Minnesota’s Baseline Tennis Center has received a national award from the United States Tennis Association.
The facility has been named the regional winner of a 2008 USTA Outstanding Facility Award. It was one of 13 facilities nationwide honored with the award, which was presented at the USTA’s semiannual meeting last week in New York. The Baseline Tennis Center was the only facility from an educational institution to receive a national award. The honor comes shortly after the Baseline Center was recognized in April as one of the top 50 “Tennis Welcome Centers” across the country.
“It is a great tribute to the hard work of several individuals that made this dream of an on-campus facility a reality,”said John Pratt, the director of the Baseline Tennis Center. “A big debt of gratitude is owed to the Baseline Club Board of Directors, the staff of the USTA Northern Section, David Geatz, Joel Maturi, Scott Ellison and the entire Minnesota tennis community. Without their support the facility would not be what it is today. We are excited about the future of the facility and Gopher tennis and look forward to continuing our great relationship with the USTA.”
Selection criteria for the 2008 USTA Outstanding Facility Award were based on overall layout and adaptation to the site; excellence of court surface and lights; ease of maintenance; player, spectator, press and official accommodations and aesthetics and programming which supports the USTA and the overall growth of tennis.
The Baseline Tennis Center is home to both the Gophers’ men’s and women’s tennis teams and the Minnesota State High School League state tournaments. It has hosted both the Big Ten men’s and women’s championships within the past two years. The Baseline Tennis Center’s 10 indoor courts and 12 outdoor courts are available for public use year-round. The facility opened in the fall of 2002 and is attached to Ridder Ice Arena.