TEMPE, Ariz. — The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) selected the North Carolina Central men's tennis team as one of three recipients for an ITA grant based upon participation in the third annual ITA Community Service Month Presented by Limoneira during the month of October.
ITA Community Service Month Presented by Limoneira was created to spotlight all the great community projects ITA member coaches and student-athletes do on an annual basis. The Limoneira Hours Challenge provided a friendly competition by tracking the total number of hours that each school served.
A total of $2,000 in grant money was awarded by the ITA to the Bucknell University and North Carolina Central men's teams, and the Converse College women's tennis program.
During ITA Community Service Month Presented by Limoneira, more than 650 student-athletes from all five divisions served 6,523 hours of service in their community or on their campus. Projects ranged from volunteering at Boys and Girls Clubs, visiting senior center centers and elementary schools to participating in community clean-up projects.
The N.C. Central men's tennis program received a $500 ITA grant through a random drawing of programs that used #CollegeTennisServes in their social media posts. The Eagles participated in over five community service projects during the month of October, with the ITA showcasing their time with the Brian Center Southpoint and the Boys and Girls Club of Durham and Orange Counties.
"Truth and Service is the official Motto of North Carolina Central University and our students, faculty and staff take great pride in giving back to the community," head men's tennis coach D. Curtis Lawson said. "The NCCU tennis program takes a keen interest in Community Service and the Limoneira Challenge was a fun-filled way to serve a higher cause."
In total, the NCCU men's tennis program contributed 138 community service hours in the month of October for the challenge. The Eagles participation included free tennis clinics for the local Boys and Girls Club; a housing project for Habitat for Humanity; litter cleanup via the NC Adopt-A-Highway Program; visiting patients at a local rehabilitation center giving patients flowers and signed tennis balls; taught tennis lessons at the International Tennis Carnival; and participated in Breast Cancer Awareness/Education on campus while honoring the cause and month by wearing Breast Cancer Awareness wristbands.
About the Intercollegiate Tennis Association
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is committed to serving college tennis and returning the leaders of tomorrow. As the governing body of college tennis, the ITA oversees men's and women's varsity tennis at NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College divisions. The ITA administers a comprehensive awards and rankings program for men's and women's varsity players, coaches and teams in all divisions, providing recognition for their accomplishments on and off the court. For more information on the ITA, visit the ITA website at www.itatennis.com, like the ITA on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
About Limoneira
Limoneira Company, a 124-year-old international agribusiness headquartered in Santa Paula, California, has grown to become one of the premier integrated agribusinesses in the world. Limoneira (pronounced le mon?âra) is a dedicated sustainability company with 11,200 acres of rich agricultural lands, real estate properties, and water rights in California, Arizona, and Chile. The Company is a leading producer of lemons, avocados, oranges, specialty citrus and other crops that are enjoyed throughout the world. For more about Limoneira Company, visit www.limoneira.com.