Florida Southern College Awarded $31,000 USTA TVS Grant 

Ten courts at the Wynee Warden Tennis Center on the Florida Southern College campus in Lakeland set for renovation 

LAKELAND, FLA., JULY 7, 2026 – The United States Tennis Association (USTA) today announced that it has awarded a $31,000 Tennis Venue Services grant to Florida Southern College. 

The grant will be used for the resurfacing of 10 tennis courts at Florida Southern College, home of the college’s NCAA Division II tennis programs. The upgraded courts will help Florida Southern continue to serve its student-athletes at the highest level of the collegiate game while also supporting a full schedule of community-based events and national collegiate competitions. 

“We are super excited to have received this grant from the USTA. This will assist our programs in resurfacing our tennis courts and ensure we remain one of the premier Division II facilities in the country,” said Trish Riddell, Head Women’s Tennis Coach, Florida Southern College. “We pride ourselves on what we can offer our students, and a quality facility helps us achieve this goal. The resurfacing also allows us to continue to host numerous events, both community-based and national collegiate competitions. We strive to continue to grow the game of tennis within our community as well as having our teams compete at the highest level of the collegiate game.” 

The USTA’s Tennis Venue Services grant program is designed to enhance existing tennis venues and construct new ones in order to provide increased playing opportunities in communities across the country. The significant funding was made possible by the expansion of the grant program in 2025 in order to meet the increasing demand for tennis courts as tennis participation continues to rise nationwide. 

Since 2005, the USTA’s TVS grant program has awarded more than $34 million in TVS grants, including more than $16 million in 2025, which supported nearly 300 projects impacting more than 2,500 courts. 

“We are committed to supporting the enhancement and construction of tennis facilities in communities across the country,” said Theodore Loehrke, Managing Director, Section Partnerships, USTA. “Investing in the development of tennis facilities nationwide helps support the USTA’s mission of growing tennis to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere.” 

In order to ensure communities have access to safe, appealing and functional tennis environments, grant recipients also receive start-to-finish project management assistance from the USTA’s Tennis Venue Services team which provides industry-leading experience in tennis court and facility design, as well as technical assistance, including construction document review and business development insight to ensure the facilities can deliver tennis at a high-level.

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About USTA Florida: Established in 1949, USTA Florida is a not-for-profit section of the United States Tennis Association and the official governing body of tennis in Florida. With over 60 staff members operating from its executive office in Orlando and more than 700 volunteers throughout the state, USTA Florida is driving the future of the sport through three Big Bold Moves: investing in best-in-class public facilities and providers, leveraging data and insights to fuel smarter growth, and empowering volunteer leaders at every level. Together, these efforts advance the organization’s mission to promote and develop tennis for all in Florida. To learn more, visit www.USTAFlorida.com.  

For more information, contact: Jaret Kappelman, Manager of Public Relations & Communications, USTA Florida: communications@ustaflorida.com.