WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (USTA & SMU) – The SMU Tennis Complex was honored with the 2019 USTA Outstanding Facility Award at the USTA Semi-Annual Meeting at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City on Aug. 29.

"We're honored to be recognized for what we believe is the best collegiate tennis facility in the nation," said SMU Athletic Director Rick Hart. "The construction of new athletics facilities has impacted every sport on the SMU campus over the past 20 years. Thanks to the generosity of our alumni and donors, our student-athletes prepare and compete in championship-caliber facilities: the SMU Tennis Complex, Gerald J. Ford Stadium, the Loyd All-Sports Center, the Indoor Performance Center and Armstrong Fieldhouse, the Crum Basketball Center, the Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center/Barr-McMillion Natatorium, the Miller Events Center, the Payne Stewart SMU Golf Training Center at Trinity Forest Golf Club and a short-game course and indoor hitting bays at the Dallas Athletic Club, just to name a few. In all, we've invested over $200 million in new and enhanced facilities over the last two decades. These projects are visible, tangible reflections of our commitment to competing for championships at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics and to providing the best student-athlete experience in the American Athletic Conference."

On hand to receive the award in New York were head men's coach Grant Chen and director of operations Rex Cuajunco. The SMU Tennis Complex Turpin Stadium & Brookshire Family Pavilion has hosted SMU Tennis since 2015. The 45,000-square foot facility includes six Ruth & Ken Altshuler Indoor courts and the six Turpin Stadium outdoor courts. It features permanent spectator area that can be expanded to accommodate conference, national and professional tournaments as well as the Edwin L Cox Club Suite with viewing access to both indoor and outdoor courts. The Complex houses a training facility, team locker and fitness rooms, meeting rooms and offices for coaches and staff.

To be considered for an award, facilities must be under the jurisdiction of a park and recreation department, an educational institution, a nonprofit corporation or be a private or commercially owned and operated facility that offers both USTA and public programming designed to help grow tennis.

"Great tennis facilities like the SMU Tennis Complex help us to grow the game at the grass-roots level, and we are proud to recognize them for their ongoing impact on the sport of tennis," said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive, USTA National Campus. "The SMU Tennis Complex has embraced many of our tennis initiatives and kept the sport at the forefront of its community each year."

The SMU Tennis Complex is set to host its sixth season of SMU Tennis in 2019-20. The facility will host three fall events including the men's Ralston/Neufeld Coaches Challenge and the women's Red and Blue Challenge as well as the SMU Fall Invite.