The Georgia Athletics Director Josh Brooks recently made a plea to the NCAA to reconsider its deal with Orlando for hosting the national championships after witnessing a huge crowd at Athens. This year’s tennis championships were held from May 14 to 17, 2026.
The NCAA and United States Tennis Association (USTA) officially signed a landmark 10-year agreement on December 9, 2024. In this deal, the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida, will host the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Tennis championships from 2028 to 2037. This decision was brought up by the Georgia official, Brooks, amid the ongoing 2026 nationals.
The quarterfinals, semifinals, and final rounds of the 2026 NCAA Tennis Championships were held in Athens, Georgia, at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. During the final round on May 17 between Virginia and Texas, the court in Georgia witnessed packed grandstands and, overall, a massive crowd, which led to Brooks’ concern about the NCAA’s deal with Orlando.
After seeing the massive turnout of fans during the NCAA finals, Brooks took to X and called out the officials for their ‘behind-the-doors’ deal with Orlando, writing:
“I respectfully ask the NCAA tennis oversight committee to reevaluate the 10 year commitment that was made to Orlando. A decision that was essentially made behind closed doors without giving any campus sites an opportunity to bid on any of those years. I haven’t met one athlete, coach, or fan that prefers this tournament be played on off campus sites.”
Who won the 2026 NCAA tennis men’s and women’s finals?
The men’s tennis championships saw a terrific outing between the No. 4 seed Virginia and the No. 2 seed Texas on May 17 at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. Both the teams delivered strong performances, fighting neck-and-neck for the title; however, after a tough fight, Virginia claimed a narrow 4-3 win, lifting the NCAA trophy.
With this win, the Cavaliers now hold the fourth-most team titles in the NCAA, and it was their first one since 2023, when they defended their national title. Following their victory, the team’s head coach, Andres Pedroso, made his feelings known about the win, saying:
“Incredible week here in Athens. Just an amazing tournament. As I said after the match, it is a magical place to play college tennis with the best teams in the country. Thank you to the University of Georgia and the NCAA and everyone that worked so hard to put it together. I’ really proud of my team. These guys have come a long way this year. We’ve had a lot of conversations. I’ve given a lot of speeches. We’ve had a lot of meals together.”
On the other hand, in the women’s NCAA tennis championships, the Texas A&M Aggies won the national championship by prevailing over the Auburn Tigers. They claimed victory with a score of 4-2, capturing their second national title in three years.
Also Read:
Ominous Warning For Coco Gauff From Rennae Stubbs As Coach Anticipates Trouble in Future
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in tennis, college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!