SKILLMAN, N.J. – Lauren Lui of Northwestern University and Daniel Canellas of the University of Alabama-Huntsville have been selected as the 2010 Wilson/ITA National Promoter of the Year Award winners, the ITA announced today.
The Wilson/ITA National Promoter of the Year Award recognizes individuals who promote the game of tennis at the collegiate level by devoting consistent time and effort to promotional activities and who support and bring awareness to either their school program or to the sport as a whole. Both student-athletes have been selected to receive a paid summer internship at Wilson’s global headquarters in Chicago, Ill.
Lauren Lui, a senior from Houston, Texas is an integral part of the Northwestern women’s varsity tennis team, both on and off the court. Lui received the 2009 ITA Sportsmanship Award and is an ITA All-American. She is well-know for her perseverance and determination to do her best even if she knows the outcome might go against her, never quitting and always puts forth her best effort. Lauren finds a way to do whatever it takes to help the team – her contributions are endless on and off the court.
Daniel Canellas, a sophomore from Brazil, is respected by his University of Alabama-Huntsville teammates and opponents alike. Although only in his second year, he is a leader on the team, both on and off the court. He has high integrity, a vibrant personality, and works hard in the classroom. He is a marketing major in the school’s College of Business, where he currently carries a 3.44 grade point average.
“Congratulations to Lauren, Daniel and all of our nominees,” said David A Benjamin, Executive Director of the ITA. “This unique Wilson/ITA National Promoter of the Year Award presents a wonderful opportunity for students to be recognized for their promotional efforts of their varsity tennis programs and tennis in general. Both Lauren and Daniel have been outstanding in their efforts to promote collegiate tennis, and this award will offer them a special opportunity to experience intern positions this summer with Wilson Sporting Goods, a leader in the tennis industry.”
“Wilson is delighted to have these outstanding award winners joining our Wilson family this summer. We are confident they will be significant assets to our brand as we continue this successful partnership with the ITA and college tennis,” said Michael Wallace, Wilson’s Director of U.S. Promotions.
As the governing body of collegiate tennis, the ITA promotes both the athletic and academic achievements of the collegiate tennis community. The ITA, which is compromised of nearly 1,700 men’s and women’s varsity coaches representing over 1,200 institutions, administers numerous regional and national championships and the Campbell/ITA College Tennis Rankings for over 15,000 college varsity student-athletes at the NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and Junior College levels. The ITA also has a comprehensive awards program for players and coaches to honor excellence in academics, leadership and sportsmanship. The official ITA Web site is www.itatennis.com.
Wilson Racquet Sports is a division of Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sports equipment and owned by Amer Sports. Wilson designs, manufactures and distributes sporting goods throughout the world and focuses on making technologically advanced products which help players of all levels perform better. Wilson’s core sport categories include: Football, Basketball, Baseball, Volleyball, Soccer, Youth Sports, Uniforms/Apparel, Golf, Footwear and Racquet Sports (Tennis, Racquetball, Squash, Badminton and Platform Tennis). For more information, visit www.wilson.com.
