β€œIt is essential to provide professional development opportunities for students pursuing a career in the tennis industry,” said Scott Schultz, USTA managing director. β€œWe are proud to partner with ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ to ensure the development of the next generation of tennis industry leaders in the sport.”

Rosen College students who select the track will receive a strong academic foundation in hospitality management education and complete three paid internships in the tennis industry. USTA will provide specialized training in the sport synchronized with their internship experiences. Graduates will be well equipped for fulfilling careers as tennis teaching professionals, club managers, directors of tennis or other business roles associated with the industry.

has been named director of hospitality in sports and will oversee the PTM track. She previously developed Rosen College’s golf and club management curriculum and designed the first online education courses for the LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals Division. She is also a former professional golfer and coach.

β€œRosen College’s reputation for top-notch hospitality management education combined with USTA’s leadership in the sport will produce outstanding graduates ready to lead the tennis industry into the future,” said Fjelstul. β€œOur students will gain all the skills necessary for success and will benefit from access to the country’s leading tennis organization right in our backyard.”

The USTA’s new complex in Lake Nona is located on 63 acres and will feature more than 100 tennis courts, a tennis pro shop, fitness area, locker rooms, player lounge, cafeteria and offices. The target completion date is the fourth quarter of 2016. The site will house a collegiate tennis center capable of hosting a number of college events and will serve as the home for the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s men’s and women’s varsity teams.

For more information about Rosen College’s Professional Tennis Management Track, visit hospitality.ucf.edu/tennis or contact Fjelstul at 407-903-8096 or Jill.Fjelstul@ucf.edu.

10 QUESTIONS WITH PETER

Q. Favorite thing about your job?

A. Not only am I promoting the greatest vacation destination in the world, but, through what we do, we have a huge, positive impact on Orlando!

Q. Describe a typical day at work…

A. There is no typical day. One day I can be talking about a digital advertising program we’re doing in Brazil, the next day it could be a partnership with the theme parks in the U.S.-Hispanic market. That’s the fun!

Q. Most memorable experience on the job?

A. One of my most memorable experiences was being part of the efforts to promote tourism following the great recession and, over the next few years, watching the number of people traveling again return to previous levels, and watching new businesses open and people getting back to work.

Q. What was your first paying job?

A. When I was a little kid, I worked at a little store in New York City, stocking shelves and the soda machine. When they would pay me on Fridays, I would turn around and spend it all on comic books.

Q. Favorite ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ memory?

A. I have so many! But, I was a member of the Student Escort and Patrol Service (SEPS), and loved patrolling at night and meeting all the great people on campus.

Q. How do you hope your leadership will affect the future of the alumni association and the university?

A. I just hope that in some small way, I can contribute to the efforts of the association and make sure that alumni have a voice in the university’s future. I feel like ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ gave me so much, I always want to find a way to give something back.

Q. Pet peeve?

A. When someone says it can’t be done

Q. Happiest/proudest moment of your life?

A. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ winning the Fiesta Bowl and ending up in the Top 10 (of course!)

Q. Volunteer work/philanthropy?

A. Rescuing kitties/Grasty Scholarship

Q. What’s something most people don’t know about you?

A. I was once in the Top 25 tennis players in Florida in the 25 and older division.

Read more stories about alumni at .

The Knights compiled a 3.17 grade-point average for the spring term, the highest student-athlete GPA for a single semester in school history. In addition, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ student-athletes compiled an average GPA of 3.14 for the 2012-13 academic year, which was also the best mark for the Knights.

β€œI’m extremely proud of the semester we have had academically and we continue to be strong in this area,” said Kimya Massey, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s Associate Athletic Director for Academic Services and Director of Academic Services for Student-Athletes. β€œWe knew it would be a good term overall, but to break records and continue to push the standard even higher is a credit to our student-athletes and their desire to be excellent in whatever they do. I must also complement the ASSA staff for their constant support and willingness to help our student-athletes achieve their goals.”

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ student-athletes have now recorded an average GPA of 3.0 or better for 11 consecutive semesters. Twelve of the Knights’ 16 sports programs were at or above a 3.0 for the spring term. Individually, 227 Knights student-athletes recorded a spring term GPA of 3.0 or better. Of that number, 27 earned a perfect 4.0 and 61 were at 3.75 or above.

Knight student-athletes said the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ academic support personnel and their coaches impress upon them the importance of academics.

β€œEach member of the Academic Services staff does their best to put the student-athlete first,” women’s tennis player Jenna Doerfler said. β€œI have had nothing but extremely positive experiences with anyone I have worked with on the staff. The staff has always gone out of their way to help the student-athletes who come to them. My coaches have always made the importance of academics clear to us. We have team academic goals at the beginning of each semester. The coaches and staff do a great job working together with us to make sure we’re on track.”

β€œI believe our fall GPA motivated us and our academic advisor Sarah Hill pushed us all to do even better,” said women’s basketball player Erika Jones. β€œOur coaches asked about our schoolwork as often as they could, so that was helpful and greatly appreciated.”

Seven of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s athletic teams set program records for spring term GPAs. Football (2.95), men’s basketball (2.85), women’s basketball (3.14), men’s golf (3.43), men’s soccer (3.29), softball (3.42) and track and field (3.31) all recorded the best spring term GPA in their teams’ histories.

Men’s golf led all teams in the spring with a 3.43 GPA, while the top women’s team was softball at 3.42. The ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ volleyball program continued its department-best streak of semesters at 3.0 or above, achieving that mark for the 12th straight term. Men’s basketball and football added to the records, compiling the best academic year GPAs ever for the two programs.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s last players to receive first-team honors in singles were Pamela Fernandez and Kristina Lohmos, who were named to the All-Atlantic Sun First Team in 2005.

Completing her senior season with a 22-13 overall singles record, Lorbergs went 16-5 at the No. 1 position and posted five victories over ranked opponents. That included wins over No. 40 Britney Sanders of Notre Dame, two triumphs over No. 68 Lauren Kline from Furman, a victory against No. 78 Ecaterina Vasenina of USF and a dominant performance vs. No. 81 Matea Cutura of DePaul.

A native of Australia, Lorbergs ended her career by going 8-1 in her final nine matches. Her 22 singles wins in 2012-13 rank ninth in the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ single-season record book.

Lorbergs delivered an all-around game as well, as she teamed up with Josephine Haraldson for 20 doubles victories, which were just one shy of tying the single-season school mark.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s GSR was 85 percent, up two points from last year’s report. The Knights rank No. 1 among public institutions in the State of Florida and second overall in the state. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s GSR also ranks highest among public institutions in Conference USA and is tied for second overall in the league, behind Rice (95 percent).

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ also compared well with institutions in the BIG EAST Conference, which the Knights will join on July 1, 2013. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ would currently rank No. 2 in the BIG EAST among public institutions, behind only Rutgers (88 percent). Among all football-playing members of the BIG EAST, the Knights would tie for third, behind Rutgers and Syracuse (87 percent).

β€œResults like this come from the hard work of our student-athletes, combined with the culture of academic success that our coaches and academic support staff promote on a daily basis,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics Todd Stansbury. β€œWe’re all very proud of what our student-athletes are accomplishing.”

The football program finished 13 points above the national average, with an 81-percent mark, compared to 68 percent nationally. It was the sixth consecutive year the football program improved its GSR. Football’s 81 percent was a program-best score. In football, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ ranks No. 2 in C-USA and would rank No. 2 among BIG EAST public institutions.

Eleven of ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½β€™s 16 teams improved their GSR from the previous year’s report, while 11 of them were also above the national average for their sport. Three Knight squads – women’s tennis, softball and men’s golf – were at a perfect 100 percent. It was the seventh consecutive season for women’s tennis to record a 100-percent score. Men’s tennis recorded the biggest improvement among Knights programs, jumping 14 percentage points.

β€œGraduation is obviously the ultimate goal and this report shows that our student-athletes, coaches and academic advisors are doing a great job promoting academic achievement,” said Kimya Massey, Director of Academic Services for Student-Athletes. β€œI’m very proud to work with a group that is so dedicated to success in competition and in the classroom.”

Women’s tennis head coach Stephanie Nickitas was pleased with how her team played and stressed they’re constantly improving. “It was a solid win today,” Nickitas said. “We played very well in doubles which gave us momentum heading into singles play. ”

The Knights swept the Spartans in doubles matches on the day. The afternoon featured Taylor Dubins and Andrea Yacaman not allowing a game in their 8-0 win over Dana Guentert and Hilary Hager at No. 3. Teams of Jenna Doerfler and Courtney Griffith along with the duo of Genevieve Lorbergs and Alexis Rodriguez posted impressive wins, with both pairs not allowing more than three games in each of their matches.

With a 1-0 team lead, ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ used three straight-set singles victories to seal the triumph over MSU. At No. 1, Lorbergs prevailed with a 6-2, 6-3 decision against Nicole Herzog. Meanwhile, Doerfler posted a 6-2, 6-4 win at No. 3 against Marina Bohrer, and Dubins defeated Michaela Silesova at No. 4, 6-3, 6-3.

Completing the 5-2 overall team win, Rodriguez topped Olga Chernova in impressive fashion in a super tiebreaker, 6-3, 2-6, 1-0(18-16).

When asked about how her team improved in singles matches over the last few weeks, Nickitas stressed maintaining a level head and remaining poised.

“We’re playing more consistently,” Nickitas said. “The key is to remain consistent and keep our momentum going for the rest of the season.”

The Black and Gold faces No. 3 Duke on March 9 at the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Tennis Complex. The match vs. the Blue Devils marks the fifth top-20 opponent in ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s first 12 matches of the season. Admission is free with the contest starting at 2 p.m.

Tennis Match Results

Michigan State vs ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½,Β 3/2/2012 at Orlando, Fla.

ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ 5, Michigan State 2

Β Singles competition

1. Genevieve Lorbergs (ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½) def. Nicole Herzog (MSU) 6-2, 6-3
2. Alexis Rodriguez (ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½) def. Olga Chernova (MSU) 6-3, 2-6, 1-0 (18-16)
3. Jenna Doerfler (ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½) def. Marina Bohrer (MSU) 6-2, 6-4
4. Taylor Dubins (ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½) def. Michaela Silesova (MSU) 6-3, 6-3
5. Katarina Lingl (MSU) def. Josephine Haraldson (ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½) 6-4, 6-1
6. Dana Guentert (MSU) def. Andrea Yacaman (ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½) 6-4, 3-6, 4-3, retired

Β Doubles competition

1. Genevieve Lorbergs/Alexis Rodriguez (ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½) def. Nicole Herzog/Katarina Lingl (MSU) 8-2
2. Jenna Doerfler/Courtney Griffith (ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½) def. Marina Bohrer/Michaela Silesova (MSU) 8-3
3. Taylor Dubins/Andrea Yacaman (ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½) def. Dana Guentert/Hilary Hager (MSU) 8-0

The plan will soon be presented to the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Board of Trustees for final approval before the fundraising process begins.

All of the construction detailed in the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Athletics’ Facility Development Plan will occur within the athletics village quadrant on the northeast side of campus, furthering ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s commitment to achieve excellence on a national level. The plan includes a total of eight projects:

1. Bright House Networks Stadium expansion (multiple phases)
2. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Academics/Athletics Support Center
3. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Baseball Complex stadium expansion (multiple phases)
4. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Baseball Clubhouse expansion and renovation
5. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Intercollegiate Tennis Center
6. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Track and Soccer Complex stadium expansion
7. ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Track and Soccer Complex clubhouse
8. Wayne Densch Sports Center expansion and renovation

The 50,000-square-foot ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Academics/Athletics Center is to be constructed on the vacant site between the new Wayne Densch Sports Center and residential tower four. The facility will be anchored by an academic support center for ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½’s student-athletes providing computer labs, tutoring and mentoring rooms, and offices for counselors and staff. Office space will also be provided for athletics administrators and coaches. Presently, both Academic Services for Student-Athletes (ASSA) and athletics administration are headquartered in the original Wayne Densch Sports Center, built in 1982-83, on the southern side of campus.

Expansion of the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ baseball complex is slated for construction in three separate phases and will bring an additional 3,380 seats to the present 800 seating capacity. The first phase calls for 1,200 bleacher seats, with 600 seats to be added beyond each dugout. The second phase includes a new elevated press box, seven luxury suites and club level seating. The final phase will add 2,000 seats on the present concourse, along with the addition of new public restrooms and concession space.

In addition to a larger stadium, the baseball complex is also slated to include expansion and renovation to the team clubhouse. Included in this project will be upgrades to the playing field, converting the present bench seating to chair-back, adding a canopy for shaded seating and a children’s activity area.

A 1,500-seat stadium located on the west side of the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Track and Soccer Complex is projected to be the first project to begin as a part of the facility development plan. The new stadium will contain a press box and public restroom building and will be clad with a red brick and stucco facade. When completed, the complex will have a seating capacity of over 2,000.

Adjacent to the current soccer/track complex a 7,500 square-foot clubhouse will be constructed for the track and field and soccer programs. The facility will include locker rooms, meeting space, an athletic training room and equipment storage for these programs. Locker rooms will also be included for visiting teams and officials.

The ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Intercollegiate Tennis Complex, to be built adjacent to the east side of the current ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Softball Stadium, will include 12 championship-caliber courts and a 1,000-seat grandstand. The new tennis complex will also contain a clubhouse with locker rooms and other amenities for both the men’s and women’s programs. It is also planned that the complex will include three to four covered courts.

Expansion and renovation is planned for the Wayne Densch Sports Center, which houses football operations, as well as the main weight room and athletic training center. This 12,000 square-foot addition will be located between the current building and the Nicholson Fieldhouse. Planned upgrades include an expanded football locker room with a student-athlete lounge area, a larger equipment storage room, expansion to the current weight room and additional office space.

Expansion to Bright House Networks Stadium is also considered within the 10-year plan. This project would be comprised of two components. The first component would be an addition to the Roth Tower (west side) to provide more suites, club seating and operational space. The second component would be an expansion to the seating bowl by adding 10,000 seats to the east side of the stadium, which would bring the overall seating capacity of Bright House Networks Stadium to over 56,000. The second component may also include an east side stadium club.

The award is presented annually by the United States Tennis Association to the college or university club team that has demonstrated sustained excellence and a commitment to giving back to its local community.

With more than 100 recreational and competitive players, the ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ Tennis club has developed strong ties with a variety of local charities, including Toys for Tots, Habitat for Humanity and the American Cancer Society.

Members of the competitive team practice a minimum of 3 times a week and compete in statewide and local competitions. Recently, they placed third at the USTA National Collegiate Championship.

β€œThe ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ is a perfect example of a model Tennis On Campus program,” said Glenn Arrington, national program manager for USTA Tennis On Campus.

The award is presented annually to the college or university club tennis team that has demonstrated an overall level of sustained excellence, while also demonstrating a commitment to giving back to its local community.

“The ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ is a perfect example of a model Tennis On Campus program,” said Glenn Arrington, national program manager, USTA Tennis On Campus.

The ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ team is a 100 percent self-financed club that has grown to more than 100 recreational and competitive players in 2010 — a 50 percent increase in the past year.

“ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ is also committed to enriching the lives not only of their team members but also of the local Central Florida community they serve,” Arrington said.

The ΒιΆΉΣ³»­΄«Γ½ club has developed strong ties with a number of noteworthy local charitable partners, including Toys for Tots, Habitat for Humanity, the Hunger Bank and Relay for Life. The team has participated in numerous local events, including the Thanksgiving donation of more than 200 cans of food to the Hunger Bank, and a program to teach tennis to young players at the Red Bug Tennis Facility in the Orlando area. The team also served as a catalyst to start the Florida Gulf Coast University Club club team.

“Choosing a winner of this award was a very difficult decision,” said Arrington, “because so many of our Tennis On Campus teams are not just great ambassadors for the game of tennis but also for their college or university, as well as their local communities.”

For more visit Tennis On Campus website at