Why You Shouldn’t Play Division 1 Tennis

Allow me to quiz you:

1. True or False: the top-rated Division 3 team on both the men’s and women’s side have a higher Power 6 UTR rating than roughly half of the Division 1 teams
2. Multiple Choice: a men’s college tennis graduate went on to play professional tennis, where his highest career ATP doubles world ranking was #17. He reached the finals of the Australian Open, the semi-finals of the French Open and the quarter-finals of the US Open (all in doubles) and retired in 2016.  Did he play his college tennis at:a. The Ohio State University (D1)
   b. Gustavus Adolphus College (D3)
   c. UCLA (D1)
   d. Barry University (D2)
   e. University of Florida (D1)

3. Multiple Choice: a women’s college tennis graduate is currently in year 7 on the WTA tour. Her current WTA tour doubles ranking is #86 in the world and her highest world ranking is singles was #213.  Did she graduate from:a. Wesleyan University (D3)
   b. University of Michigan (D1)
   c. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges (D3)
   d. University of Texas (D1)
   e. Columbus State (D2)

4. True or false: a men’s Division 3 program has a 14 UTR at the top of the roster. The number 6 player (the final starter) has a UTR of 12.2.  The number 10 player on this team has a UTR of 11.75.

5. True of false: there is a women’s Division 1 program where the #1 player on the team is a 6.47 UTR and the bottom player on the roster is a 4.43 UTR.

Let’s go straight to the answers

1. True (the best D3 team is better than half of the D1 teams)
2. b. Gustavus Adolphus College (Eric Butorac attended this Division 3 school in Minnesota)
3. a. Wesleyan University (Eudice Chong, former DTS client and DTS College Prospects Showcase participant, attended this Division 3 school in Connecticut—where she won 4 NCAA D3 singles titles—before moving on to a successful professional career.)
4. False (just trying to keep you on your toes! However, there is a men’s D3 team with a 13 UTR at the top and an 11.55 UTR at #6.  That team also has 10 players with UTRs of 11 or better.  Probably not what most junior players and their parents would think exists in Division 3.  Oh, and by the way, the University of Chicago also happens to currently be ranked the #6 best national university in the country by US News and World Report.)
5. True (there are Division 1 programs on both the women’s and the men’s side where players will be surprised at how weak the teams are).

The case for keeping an open mind

At Donovan Tennis Strategies (DTS), we consistently emphasize the importance of being open-minded to the outstanding opportunities that exist across all three NCAA divisions, as well as the NAIA.

We always start by asking the players we advise what they think they are looking for. Many immediately say they want to play Division 1 tennis. When I ask why, the answer is usually they believe that’s where all of the top teams reside—and that playing Division 1 is the ultimate validation of their ability as a player. Sometimes they admit it’s for bragging rights.

My response to those who don’t have really high rankings and ratings is usually: “Yes, there are certainly Division 1 programs where you can play. But is it okay if those schools have weaker teams and significantly lower academic reputations than the Division 3 schools and teams that might also be available to you? And is it also okay if you’re sitting on the bench and not in the starting lineup?”

Their answer is usually, “Well… no.”

Let me be clear: the top 100 or so men’s college tennis teams (out of roughly 250 total) and the top 150 women’s teams (out of just over 300) are all Division 1 programs. Many of them also have strong academic reputations. Division 1 absolutely includes some of the very best opportunities in college tennis.

However, with most Division 1 programs now required to limit their rosters to no more than 10 players (see the House settlement), it is more important than ever for prospective college tennis players and their parents to seriously consider Division 2, Division 3, and NAIA options. You may find that the best overall fit—strong tennis combined with excellent academics—exists outside of Division 1.