Liberty to Host 2017 ITA Men's Tennis Atlantic Regional

For the first time in athletics department history, Liberty will serve as one of 12 sites for the ITA Division I Men's Tennis Regional.

Liberty will host the 2017 ITA Atlantic Regional on Oct. 19-23, at the Hershey-Esbenshade Tennis Courts. This past fall, Liberty made several facility upgrades for its tennis programs, including the additional of six more competition courts and permanent seating for its six championship courts outside the Tennis Cook Center.

"It is a great honor for Liberty to serve as a regional host for this ITA event," said Ian McCaw, Liberty's Director of Athletics. "Our tennis facilities are among the best in the region and we look forward to making the event a tremendous success."

Liberty will serve as one of 12 sites for the ITA Division I Men's Tennis Regional for the first time in athletics department history.

The event will mark the second time Liberty has hosted an ITA Regional event. Liberty served as the host of the 2015 ITA Division I Women's Tennis Regional, Oct. 15-19.

"It's really an honor for Liberty to host the ITA Atlantic Regional Tournament. It will be an outstanding opportunity for other schools to see what a first-class facility we have," said Liberty Head Men's Tennis Coach Chris Johnson, who is also the chair of the Atlantic Regional Committee. "We won the doubles in this event a few years back and advanced to the National Indoor Championships in New York. We would love to get back there for sure and hosting certainly helps make that happen."

In October 2013, Shea Thomas and Jorge Azuero became the first-ever Liberty men's doubles team to win the regional title and advance to the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships.

This past fall, Liberty freshman Chase Burton became the first Flame since Thomas in 2013 to advance to the round of 16 in the singles main draw at the ITA Regionals.

2017 ITA Division I Men's Tennis Regional Hosts
Northwest: Pacific (Oct. 19-23)
Southwest: Pepperdine (Oct. 19-23)
Mountain: BYU (Oct. 18-21)
Texas: Texas A&M (Oct. 19-23)
Central: Minnesota (Oct. 19-23)
Midwest: Michigan (Oct. 19-23)
Northeast: Yale (Oct. 18-23)
Ohio Valley: Tennessee (TBD)
Atlantic: Liberty (Oct. 19-23)
Carolina: Duke (Oct. 13-17)
Southern: LSU (Oct. 19-23)
Southeast: Georgia Tech (Dates TBD)