SKILLMAN, N.J.  Biola (Calif.) University women's tennis coach Dee Henry has been named the national winner of the USTA/ITA Campus Recreation Award and California Lutheran University men's tennis coach Michael Gennette is the national winner of the USTA/ITA Community Service Award. They will be honored on December 12 at the ITA Coaches Convention at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa in Miami, during the ITA Membership and Awards Banquet.

The USTA/ITA Campus Recreation Award honors an ITA coach who has done an outstanding job implementing recreational tennis programs on campus in an effort to grow tennis participation. The USTA/ITA Community Service Award honors an ITA coach for significant contributions in developing community-based tennis programs through community centers, schools, parks, community tennis associations, inner city, suburban or rural programs.    The ITA and USTA strongly believe that community service and campus recreation programs are extremely important for today’s college coach to become involved in and these awards help highlight the efforts of those coaches who have,â€? says ITA Executive Director David A Benjamin. “Dee and Michael are great examples of coaches who give back to their communities and campuses and our hope is that many other varsity coaches will emulate the great work they are doing,â€?   This year's national winners were selected from a group of USTA Sectional winners determined this fall (and listed below). This awards program, which began in 2003, was open to over 2,000 ITA head and assistant coaches at the NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College levels.   Henry and Gennette are also the award recipients for the USTA/Southern California Section. Henry has coached at Biola, an NAIA school located in La Mirada, for the past 35 years. Gennette has coached at Cal Lutheran, an NCAA Division III school located in Thousand Oaks, for the past 13 years.   Henry has been instrumental in organizing numerous tennis events and programs that run throughout the academic year on the Biola campus. These programs not only involve the university's students, but also faculty, alumni and the surrounding community. Some of the main programs she runs at Biola are: a USA Team Tennis campus league, hosting an annual tournament since 1979 for the students and community; a campus wheelchair program that provides instruction for recreational and competitive players; and Tennis Across America, an free United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) program that introduces tennis to families from Biola and the community. Henry started the USA Team Tennis program just three years ago and it has already tripled in size.   Henry has also been involved with a Girl's Sports Day on campus, which is a program supporting the Girls Scouts, and the National Junior Tennis League (NJTL), which seeks to develop the character of young people through tennis and to emphasize the ideals of the late Arthur Ashe. A new tennis center is also being constructed on the Biola campus that will help grow the already successful programs Henry is running.

Gennette has helped grow tennis in Ventura County over the last several years due to the numerous entry level programs and special events he has organized. He has started local park and recreation tennis programs in six cities, including six high schools and 12 parks.   Some of the programs Gennette been involved with include: hosting USTA Adult Tennis Teams; running Adult Play and Learn classes; organizing a free challenge ladder for area juniors; teaching free senior play and learn classes; organizing a free match days program for juniors; served as Director of the Conejo Valley Youth Tennis League; hosting "Youth League Tennis," a non-profit introductory league for area school children; helping staff "Laura's Tips," a non-profit introductory program at schools; hosting corporate tennis picnics for area companies; hosting county junior tournaments; organizing and managing summer camps at five high schools and CLU; teaching and hosting a multicultural camp; and organized one of the largest USA 1-2-3 tennis camps in area.

USTA/ITA Community Service Award Sectional Winners: Honors an ITA coach for significant contributions in developing community-based tennis programs through community centers, schools, parks, community tennis associations, inner city, suburban or rural programs. Eastern - Gary Glassman, Stony Brook University Florida - Bruce Carrington, St. Thomas University Intermountain - Nicole Kenneally, Univ. of Colorado Mid-Atlantic - Darryl Cummings, Old Dominion University Middle States - Lori Sabatose, Clarion Univ. of Pennsylvania Midwest - Timon Corwin, Kalamazoo College Missouri Valley - Andy Hamilton, Grinnell College New England - Julie Greenwood, Williams College Northern California - Marc Weinstein, Mills College Pacific NW - Lisa Hart, Washington State Southern - Bill Riddle, Cumberland Univ. (TN) Southern California -  Michael Gennette, Calif. Lutheran University Texas - Lance Drake, Tarleton State University    USTA/ITA Campus Recreation Award Sectional Winners Honors an ITA coach who has done an outstanding job implementing recreational tennis programs on campus in an effort to grow tennis participation Intermountain - Brad Pearce, Brigham Young University Mid-Atlantic - Constantine Ananiadis, Washington College (Md.) Middle States - Dave Shook, Lehigh University Missouri Valley - Lisa Johnson, Oklahoma Christian University New England  - Christine Davis, Smith College (Mass.) N. California - Peter Wright, University of California-Berkeley Pacific Northwest - Carl Swanson, Linfield College (Ore.)  Southern - Mary Ann Sunbury, Pfeiffer University Southern California - Dee Henry, Biola University

For Immediate Release Contact: Casey Angle, ITA (610-948-4133)