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Wittenberg University and Northeastern State University have recently announced plans to reinstate tennis programs on their campuses.

Wittenberg (NCAA Division III) has reinstated men’s and women’s tennis and Northeastern State (NCAA Division) has reinstated men’s tennis.

Wittenberg announced last September that both programs were being discontinued as intercollegiate programs as part of an athletics restructuring plan. But the generosity, persistence, and tenacity of a group of alumni who have pledged their support to fund the program enabled the reinstatement to take place.

“The decision to continue the tennis program is great for the university, current and future players, and, most importantly, the alumni,” Wittenberg head coach and former player John DeVito said in a statement. “Without their assistance and continuous support, the decision to continue men’s and women’s tennis at Wittenberg would have never happened.”

The NSU men’s program is returning after a 24-year absence and will begin play in the 2025-26 season. The program will be led by current women's tennis coach Tim McLane, who will now oversee both teams.

NSU previously sponsored men's tennis from the 1960s through the 1999-2000 season. The program was a dominant force in the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference (OIC) throughout the 1980s and 1990s, winning multiple conference titles. The team made its debut as an NCAA member in 1999, hosting the Midwest Regional and earning a No. 21 national ranking in its inaugural run. The following season, NSU qualified for the NCAA postseason once again.

“Over the last few years, I’ve had the privilege of meeting several men’s tennis alumni, and I’m sure they’re just as excited as we are to see this program return,” McLane said in a statement. “We welcome their involvement and support as we move forward. "There are also plenty of built-in benefits for both the men's and women's programs with this revival. From mutual support to idea-sharing and camaraderie, both teams will grow stronger together.”

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About Rhiannon Potkey

Rhiannon Potkey is a veteran sportswriter with more than two decades of experience in journalism. Potkey has covered many sports at many levels and has a passion for finding great stories. Potkey has covered the U.S. Open, junior sectional and national events, college conference championships and Davis Cup matches. Potkey is currently Content Strategist for Tennis Recruiting. You can reach Rhiannon by email at [email protected].