Eleven Colleges and Universities from across the Intermountain Section competed hard to try and earn a spot in the USTA National Campus Championship.
UVU’s tennis club has come a long way from its humble beginnings two years ago. This was their time to prove that they have worked hard and put the man hours into showing that they have what it takes to play in such an elevated tournament.
The USTA Campus Championship-Intermountain took place in Salt Lake City, UT, Feb. 26-27th. Eleven unique schools came prepared to battle, bringing 16 total teams with them. The University of Colorado looked to defend their title once more, and defend they did.
With one bid spoken for, there was still another bid to the USTA National Campus Championship on the line. That bid belonged to the team that would take third place. Utah Valley University and Brigham Young University struggled and played hard to get to this point, but when the final match came for them to claim the final spot to post-season play, the in-state rivals were ready to play.
The match started strong and it never looked back. Both teams fought hard and games went back and forth. It came down to the wire going into the mixed doubles match, where tennis club founder Leah Myer and Co-President Evan Valdez played against Brigham Young’s A team which was ahead by one game. Halfway though the match, they subbed out Valdez for Jake Nelson. Coming out of the match, UVU had claimed victory and clinched a spot into the USTA National Campus Championship by one game.
Myer said “I’m really proud of our tennis team and how we have come really far. We didn’t exist two years ago and we have built ourselves up to the point that we are the best club in the state. We’re all very excited for nationals and we are working really hard to be ready.” The USTA National Campus Championship will be held in Surprise, AZ, April 15-17.
