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JTCC Salutes Class Of 2024

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Thirteen JTCC graduates in attendance were dressed to impress in front of the more than 100 proud parents, families, alumni, and friends who gathered in the JTCC lobby for the May 29 graduation ceremony for the Class of 2024.

The new alumni received their diplomas and portraits which will hang on the JTCC Walk of Fame hallway. This year’s class included four additional graduates who were unable to attend. The group joined the more than 330 other successful alumni.

“The JTCC graduation is a capstone event that our entire staff looks forward to every year,” Director of School Mark Santangelo commented. “We are always excited to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates, both on and off the courts, and this year’s class has impressed us in every way. We’re proud of the Class of 2024 as they wrap up years of hard work and head off to college and beyond.”

JTCC Head of Wheelchair & Adaptive Tennis Gabby Hesse introduced special guest speaker Nicky Maxwell, a JTCC MedStar Para Standing athlete, who encouraged the graduates to “go for your dreams and work hard to achieve what you set out to do.”

Amari O’Brien, who will be playing NCAA Division I tennis for Mount St Mary’s University, spoke on behalf of the graduating class.

“A lot of things we have learned at JTCC can be used in every aspect of our lives,” said O’Brien, who delivered a heartfelt speech. “I’m excited to see what the future holds, and I know we are going to move on and do great things.”

Following the ceremony, attendees enjoyed dinner courtesy of Paisano’s Pizza.

Congratulations to the Class of ‘24, and good luck in your future endeavors!

JTCC Alumna Imani Jean Named MEAC Rookie Of The Year

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Imani Jean’s freshman season at Howard University was memorable and one for the history books.

The JTCC alumna, who finished her first collegiate season 13-3 overall in singles, was recognized for her stellar performance being named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference’s (MEAC) 2024 Rookie of the Year and was a MEAC First Team selection.

“I officially found out that I was named Rookie of the Year at the MEAC awards ceremony right before the tournament,” Jean said. “To hear I won the award was reassuring to me that everything I worked hard for was not for nothing.”

Jean trained at JTCC from 2019-23 in the Full-Time Champions program. The Brooklyn, NY native is grateful for her time at JTCC shaping her into the person and player she is today.

“My time at JTCC positively impacted my character, and the tennis training and coaches helped me with my discipline on and off the court,” Jean stated.

After being named MEAC Rookie of the Week five times and finishing 5-0 in conference singles play, Jean is excited to work hard this offseason and continue to improve.

“One of the best parts about my freshman year was how much support I’ve been getting. It’s amazing to have your team there for you no matter what,” Jean said. “This accomplishment is only going to push me to train hard for the summer and prove to people that this award was well deserved so I can come into next season even stronger.”

Geico Champions Celebration Raises $584,000 for JTCC 25th Anniversary

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JTCC was transformed for an unforgettable evening on April 10 to salute JTCC’s 25th Anniversary honoring alumnus Frances Tiafoe and University of Maryland President Darryll Pines at the GEICO Champions Celebration presented by Amazon and the Bisnow Family.

The honorees shared inspiring messages to an energetic crowd of more than 400 JTCC supporters, who raised an impressive $584,000 benefitting JTCC’s GEICO Game On! community programs.

Guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres during the pre-dinner reception while being entertained by impressive match play featuring JTCC Adaptive athletes, High Performance and Junior Champs players.

The dynamic dinner program was filled with impactful speeches, touching tributes, amusing anecdotes, distinguished awards, and captivating videos that paid homage to JTCC’s growth over the past 25 years and showcased what’s coming in the future.

GEICO Game On! provides a pathway for youth who may not otherwise have the opportunity to play tennis, starting as beginners and progressing to earning college scholarships. Since its inception in 2009, more than 8,000 youth have been introduced to tennis through GEICO Game On!

Check out the videos shown at the Gala by watching Part 1 and Part 2 here.

JTCC “Blacks Out The Bubble” To Support University of Maryland

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JTCC is home to the University of Maryland (UMD) women’s varsity tennis team, and it was jam-packed with more than 100 spectators wearing black to “Black Out” the bubble on March 2 when the Lady Terps took on Liberty University.

Fans cheered outstanding National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I tennis and were delighted at the outcome when Maryland cruised to a 4-0 shutout victory in front of the energetic crowd.

“This year’s event grew in attendance from last year, and it was awesome to see everyone supporting the Lady Terps,” exclaimed John Dominguez, a JTCC member for more than 20 years. “The matches are free to attend, and there was standing room only which spoke to the overall success of the event again this year.”

Four lucky fans won free raffles that included a UMD book bag, UMD Men’s Basketball tickets, a JTCC drawstring bag, and a Wilson Burn racquet. Spectators had the opportunity to purchase Jersey Mike’s Subs food and drinks as well.

“Huge thank you to John Niswander and his staff at JTCC in helping organize and promote “Black Out” the Bubble. This was our second year in a row organizing a match promotion specific to JTCC members, and it was a great success,” UMD Head Coach Katie Dougherty said. “The match with Liberty was a blast for the student-athletes and fans. The JTCC ball kids were outstanding, and the crowd was energized and made the atmosphere so much fun to play in. Our team greatly appreciates the support we get from the JTCC community and look forward to seeing folks out at our future matches.”

Player Spotlight: Stefanie Smart-Abbey Striving For Excellence

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Leaving behind her family and hometown of Yonkers, NY, Stefanie Smart-Abbey, at 13-years-old joined JTCC’s Full-Time High Performance program in late 2022 to pursue her dream to be the best player she could be.

Smart-Abbey’s father, a seasoned tennis coach from Ghana, taught his 10-year-old daughter how to play tennis. She began making her mark at a young age in local tournaments by holding her own and competing in older age groups despite having only two years of tennis experience.

“Competing in the older age groups was challenging because I was still learning how to play tennis. I didn’t know what matches and tournaments would feel like because I was just used to hitting with my dad,” explained Smart-Abbey.

Smart-Abbey has dedicated herself to training and taking classes full-time while participating in the JTCC High Performance program and living with family friends in Maryland.

“Leaving New York to come to JTCC was tough initially because I left my family behind,” Smart-Abbey said. “I miss my parents, but I’ve enjoyed my time here thanks to the new friendships I’ve made and the rivalries we share on the court that push each other to improve.”

Smart-Abbey’s JTCC mentor is Staff Professional Ali Agnamba, who is from Togo, not far from her father’s homeland of Ghana in West Africa.

“Stefanie loves to have fun on the court, but at the same time, she trains hard and is receptive to feedback,” Agnamba said. “She moves extremely well, and one of our goals for her this year is to get her national ranking higher in order to compete in international tournaments.”

JTCC Winter Festival Sparks Excitement

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With more than 60 enthusiastic children and adults engaged in interactive tennis drills, the JTCC Winter Tennis Festival held on the indoor courts on February 3 was a smashing success to kicking off the first of four free festivals held throughout the year.

During the two-hour free event led by JTCC coaches and assisted by volunteers from the University of Maryland Men’s Club Lacrosse team, the players also participated in team-building activities to improve balance and coordination and enjoyed complimentary snacks.

After the fun concluded on court, smiling participants left with giveaways including water bottles and sunglasses donated by the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission and JTCC postcards featuring alumna Robin Montgomery.

Seven JTCC Players Announce Their College Commitments

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The dreams of seven hard-working student-athletes have been fulfilled with their commitments to play college tennis at prestigious institutions in the fall.

A signing day ceremony was held at JTCC on Thursday, January 11, with players, family members, and media in attendance.

JTCC players will be competing at five NCAA Division I universities and two NCAA Division III colleges. Headlining the signees is Stiles Brockett, who will be joining back-to-back National Champion powerhouse University of Virginia. He is a three-time United States Tennis Association (USTA) National Gold Ball winner.

JTCC congratulates these students and looks forward to following their successful college tennis careers:

Stiles Brockett – University of Virginia

Jason Daly – Colby College

Cole Henceroth – University of South Carolina

Amari O’Brien – Mount St. Mary’s University

Seth Sadikov – Swarthmore College

Shivaani Selvan – United States Air Force Academy

Yichen (Cindy) Zhao – Princeton University

JTCC Alumni Hitting Session Sparks Social Media Attention

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The past and present collided during winter break at JTCC when several alumni returned from college to train together with current High Performance players.

The holiday training sessions featured thrilling rallies, powerful serves, and a joyful camaraderie that showcased the success of the JTCC pathway.

The reunion also sparked attention on social media with a 55-second video of one of the hitting sessions posted on JTCC’s Instagram page generating 36,000 views, more than 196 hours of watch time, and 1,153 likes.

The impressive lineup of players included five current NCAA players—

Mikeal Carpenter (Morgan State University), Brian Cernoch (University of North Carolina), Ryan Colby (University of Georgia), Trinity Grear (Rice University), and Cyrus Mahjoob (University of Georgia).

“Coming back to JTCC over the holiday break is something I look forward to every year,” shared Cernoch. “Getting a high-quality practice with fellow alumni and being able to talk about college and reminisce on our times in College Park always brings back great memories.”

Grear echoes Cernoch’s sentiments.

“I know how fortunate I am to have such a great support system in place when I come home, and I don’t take it for granted,” stated Grear. “It allows us to have a proper preseason and stay sharp over the break so we can be ready to compete at a high level in the new year.”

To watch the clip of the players posted on social media, please click here.

JTCC Athlete Madeleine-Camille Preuninger Thriving in New Wheelchair

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The tennis journey of JTCC MedStar athlete Madeleine-Camille Preuninger was transformed overnight when she was the surprise recipient of a free custom-fit sports wheelchair six months ago.

The Hartford, a leading provider of disability insurance that has dedicated itself for the past 30 years to making adaptive sports and equipment more accessible, awarded the wheelchair to Preuninger making an indelible impact on the tennis enthusiast who began playing at JTCC in 2021.

“Adaptive sports have not only saved my life and maintained my physical well-being, but have also empowered me with independence,” said Preuninger, a regular member of JTCC’s weekly Integrative Clinics on Mondays.

“Adaptive Sports are a constant challenge, keeping me strong while instilling the courage to attempt things I never thought possible,” she continued.

In 2023, JTCC was awarded a $50,000 grant from The Hartford to purchase new adaptive sports equipment, including nine top-of-the-line tennis wheelchairs. With the support of Move United, a national leader in community adaptive sports, JTCC rewarded Preuninger for her dedication and exuberance to the sport during a special event.

“I’m super thankful for having the opportunity to own a new chair because otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to purchase one due to the cost,” expressed a grateful Preuninger.

Preuninger’s custom-fit chair on the court helps her avoid injuries, enhance comfort, and allows her to focus on improving her skills.

Not only an active participant at JTCC clinics, Preuninger has given back to the adaptive community, volunteering as a Junior Wheelchair Players coach.

Moving forward, Preuninger plans to continue improving her skills as a player and a coach. She also hopes to share the importance of adaptive tennis and change perspectives on disabilities in France, where much of her family resides.

Special thanks to The Hartford & Move United for making dreams come true. Here’s to celebrating the passion and commitment that Madeleine brings to the world of wheelchair tennis!

JTCC Celebrates Arthur Ashe Legacy

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More than 100 players, staff, and spectators packed the JTCC lobby on November 17 for the Arthur Ashe Legacy Foundation at UCLA’s panel discussion celebrating the 50th anniversary of Ashe’s first visit to South Africa.

In 1973, Ashe became the first Black professional tennis player to compete in South Africa’s National Championships. Before his arrival, Ashe told the South African government that he would not play in front of a racially segregated audience and would not accept limitations on his free speech while in South Africa.

The 90-minute discussion featured individuals who knew Ashe recalling stories about the tennis pioneer and discussing how today’s young athletes can build on his commitment to empowerment and educational mobility.

Guha Shankar, a Library of Congress representative, moderated the impactful discussion that included a distinguished panel that included South African author Mark Mathabane, 1988 Nigerian Olympic tennis player Dr. Sadiq Abdullahi, American Tennis Association (ATA) President Roxanne Aaron, Director of Swimming, Diving, and Tennis at Howard University Nicholas Askew, and Howard University varsity player and 2021-22 All-Conference Academic team selection Gabriel Knowles.

“The importance of this event was to bring together people who knew Arthur Ashe and experienced the trip to South Africa, but also to connect this history to a new generation of people,” said Yolanda Hester, historian and member of the Arthur Ashe Legacy Foundation. “We want the takeaway for everyone from this event to be to see what you can do to help make a difference and impact the world as Arthur did.”

An Escape From Chaos: Priyana Kalita

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JTCC High Performance Coach Priyana Kalita’s story is one of resilience and determination.

Born in the bustling streets of Guwahati, the capital city of Assam, India, Kalita grew up amidst continual unrest due to fighting over the India/Bangladesh border 150 miles from her home.

In 2008, tensions escalated when a series of bombs in Assam killed 88 people and injured 500. Kalita, then eight-years-old, vividly remembers seeing the smoke from her school and hiding underneath her desk with her frightened classmates.

“It was tragic as we did not know what was going on. I remember being in shock. Kids were crying,” she described. ”Then after about 30 minutes, there was a curfew given by the government, and our parents rushed to pick us up.”

Needing an outlet from the pain, tennis became Kalita’s escape from the chaos.

Introduced to tennis by her mother as a means to channel her energy and instill discipline, Kalita fell in love with the sport and quickly became one of the best junior players in the nation.

“Tennis has given me everything,” stated Kalita, who started training at North East Tennis Foundation in Guwahati. “I can be myself in the sport, express emotions, and feel included in the game.”

Kalita’s dominance on the court was evident. After winning multiple state and regional tournaments, Kalita, at 14, ascended to become the #1 player in the state of Assam, #12 in India, and achieved a #490 ITF world ranking.

At 15-years-old, Kalita’s resolve was shown again when she left her family to join the Team Tennis Academies in New Delhi. Unable to afford training costs, coaches permitted her to train by becoming a paid hitting partner and using her earnings for rent and training expenses. Her journey eventually led her across the world to Oxford, OH, where she played Division I NCAA tennis at Miami University (OH) before pursuing a graduate degree in Sport Management at Florida State University.

After becoming an assistant coach at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, PA, for one year, Kalita joined JTCC in June, 2023. Responsible for both individual and group instruction, Kalita emphasizes a coaching philosophy that values a cooperative environment between the player and coach.

“There should be a balance between listening to athletes and telling them what to do, as players need to be heard,” Kalita explained. “You have to understand it’s not a cookie-cutter approach with everyone. Every athlete is different, and you need to understand the athletes as an individual.”

Now 25-years-old and looking forward to her future, Kalita describes her biggest goal moving forward is “being able to support my brother financially through college.”

When asked what she would like people to take away from her story, Kalita responds, “Always keep finding solutions. Life is about problem-solving. There will be bad days, but you have to keep trying to get through them, as there will be good days as well.”

JTCC Players Crowned Winners at L4 Wheelchair Championships

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Thirty-two of the top wheelchair tennis players in the nation competed earlier this month in the USTA L4 JTCC Wheelchair Tennis Championships presented by MedStar NRH.

The largest wheelchair tournament in program history with 32 competitors, the event featured 16 JTCC/MedStar players, including 13-year-old Spencer Davis, 38-year-old Bryce Doody, and 48-year-old Michael Flores, who were all crowned champions in their respective brackets. Doody and 38-year-old Harsh Thakkar, also a JTCC/MedStar player, were the winners in their doubles bracket.

Players were split into coed brackets by level of play, with Juniors competing in 18 & Under Singles and Adults participating in Coed A, B, C, and D brackets.

The top Adults in each of their respective divisions received prize money, with singles champions taking home $150 and finalists winning $75.

Davis, a dedicated member of JTCC’s Wheelchair Tennis Program, earned a first-place paycheck in Group C singles and won the 18-and-Under singles. Flores, who joined JTCC in October, made a triumphant debut, claiming the top prize in Group D singles in the first tournament action of his career.

”It’s remarkable to see players’ improvement and the growth of the sport over the past three years of the tournament, which started with 17 players in the first year,” said Head of Wheelchair & Adaptive Tennis Gabby Hesse. “JTCC wants to thank all the incredible sponsors, volunteers, and dedicated supporters who ensured the tournament’s success.”

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