Surrounded by family, friends, and JTCC teachers and coaches, five-star recruit and High Performance player Stefan Regalia signed his letter of intent on stadium court on November 9 to play Division I tennis for the University of Virginia.
Regalia verbally committed to the perennial Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) powerhouse in August, following in the footsteps of notable JTCC and Virginia alumni Treat Huey and Mitchell Frank.
“Nineteen JTCC players have been recruited by and played for the University of Virginia, and we are so proud of Stefan,” JTCC President Vesa Ponkka said. “He is very strong academically and embodies the perfect student-athlete with his hard work in the classroom and on the court. We know he will be successful at the next level.”
Regalia started playing tennis at four years old after watching his older sister play at the YMCA near his home in Arlington. Regalia joined JTCC in 2011 and worked through the JTCC pathway from beginner Red Ball classes to the peak performance Full-Time Champs.
As a kid, Regalia starred as a striker on Arlington’s top junior soccer team while competing in tennis tournaments on the weekend. One day in sixth grade, his soccer coach gave him an ultimatum, and Regalia decided to focus on tennis.
“I felt I was more talented at soccer, but I chose tennis because I thought I had a chance to go further,” Regalia stated. “I love a team environment and am excited about the energy college tennis provides. The atmosphere and outstanding coaches at UVA were the deciding factors.”
The Arlington, VA native will join the esteemed Virginia program that captured its fifth National Championship in 2022.
“On behalf of everyone in the UVA tennis family, we are beyond excited to have Stefan Regalia sign a National Letter of Intent to compete for the Virginia Cavaliers beginning in the Fall of 2023,” University of Virginia Head Men’s Tennis Coach Andres Pedroso said.
“Stefan personifies the character, work ethic, and competitiveness we value in all our student-athletes. We are confident that Stefan will thrive in the energy and excitement of college tennis, and we look forward to him being a natural leader in our team culture. Coach Scott Brown and I are grateful to have the opportunity to coach and mentor Stefan.”
