WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Michael Venus, who just completed his senior season with the LSU men’s tennis team, earned a spot on the United States Tennis Association’s 2009 Summer Collegiate Team, the USTA announced on Thursday.
Venus joins the 24-person team divided into 12 male and female collegiate tennis players that will use the team as part of an elite training program for the top American collegiate tennis players. The program began in 1996 and is funded by the USTA.
The team provides college players with valuable exposure to the USTA Pro Circuit in a team-oriented environment and will also provide two Pro Tour Transition camps, one each for the men and women’s teams.
Venus finished his final campaign with the Tigers at No. 7 in the final Intercollegiate Tennis Association Rankings in singles and at No. 4 in doubles with partner Neal Skupski. The 6-3 senior standout notched an incredible 26 singles wins and 19 doubles victories in the 2008-09 season.
Joining Venus from the Southeastern Conference are Arkansas’ Blake Strode and Ole Miss’ Devin Britton. Strode advanced to the NCAA semifinals and also won the Intercollegiate Tennis Association/Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship. Briton became the youngest male to ever capture the NCAA Division I Championships.
The USTA team is comprised of the top six American players from the final ITA Rankings with three spots held for the highest-ranked American doubles team and top American finisher at the NCAA Championships. The remaining players on each team were selected by the USTA Player Development staff in conjunction with the USTA National Coaches, ITA staff and current collegiate coaches.
Several pros were former members of the USTA Summer Collegiate Teams including: James Blake, Bob and Mike Bryan, Audra Cohen, Amer Delic, Laura Granville, John Isner, Jesse Levine, Todd Paul, Sam Warburg and Jesse Witten.
2009 USTA Summer Collegiate Team
Men’s Team
Jean-Yves Aubone, Florida State (JR, Miami)
Devin Britton, Mississippi (FR, Jackson, Miss.)
Steve Johnson, Southern California (FR, Orange, Calif.)
Roy Kalmanovich, Illinois (SO, Framingham, Mass.)
Bradley Klahn, Stanford (FR, Poway, Calif.)
Bryan Koniecko, Ohio State (SR, Syosset, N.Y.)
Austin Krajicek, Texas A&M (SO, Brandon, Fla.)
Justin Kronauge, Ohio State (JR, Dayton, Ohio)
Cory Parr, Wake Forest (SR, Jericho, N.Y.)
Conor Pollack, Texas A&M (SR, San Antonio)
Blake Strode, Arkansas (SR, St. Louis)
Michael Venus, LSU (SR, Orlando, Fla.)
Women’s Team
Hilary Barte, Stanford (SO, Chatsworth, Calif.)
Lindsay Burdette, Stanford (JR, Jackson, Ga.)
Mallory Cecil, Duke (FR, Spartanburg, S.C.)
Julia Cohen, Miami (SO, Philadelphia)
Irina Falconi, Georgia Tech (FR, Jupiter, Fla.)
Amanda Fink, Southern California (SR, Calabasas, Calif.)
Amanda McDowell, Georgia Tech (JR, Atlanta)
Kelcy McKenna, Arizona State (SO, North Bend, Ore.)
Maria Sanchez, Southern California (SO, Modesto, Calif.)
Yasmin Schnack, UCLA (JR, Sacramento, Calif.)
Kelcy Tefft, Notre Dame (SR, Enid, Okla.)
Caitlin Whoriskey, Tennessee (JR, East Sandwich, Mass.)