The Debate Still Rages

The Debate Still Rages~~~

I've learned that very few issues galvanize readers more than the prevalence of foreign players on U.S. Division I college tennis teams. The comments on my two most recent posts are an indication of that. I'm not going to throw any gasoline on the fire right now, but I do want to refer those with an interest in the topic to a couple of articles.

The first is Frequently Asked Questions about International Players from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association and the USTA. It directly refutes the premise (if not the reality) of Ryan Sweeting's comment.

The second is about a player who is a poster child for the new crackdown, Mislav Hizak of Croatia, whom I've heard lost his opportunity to play for the University of Minnesota based on strict enforcement of the new rules. He is now playing in the NAIA, which is not subject to the same restrictions as NCAA Division I schools. This story only alludes in passing to the reason such a fine player is playing at such a small school, but I wanted to link to it as evidence that things have changed.