An Arlington, VA native, Stefan Regalia certainly won’t have to travel very far when he heads to college this fall.
The JTCC High Performance player and five-star recruit, Regalia has verbally committed to play collegiate tennis for the University of Virginia.
The rising senior that has trained at JTCC for 11 years, Regalia selected Virginia over Dartmouth College and the University of California, Berkeley.
“I really liked all the schools, but UVA stood out the most. It is about two and a half hours from my home. Staying in the state is cheaper than the other schools which played a part, but the great team atmosphere and coaches was the deciding factor,” said Regalia, who describes what ultimately swayed his decision.
Regalia will be reunited with Scott Brown who trained him in 2015-16 at JTCC and is now Virginia’s associate head coach.
“I have a great relationship with Coach Brown from our time together at JTCC, and I’m excited to work with him again,” Regalia said.
As a kid, Regalia starred as a striker on the top junior soccer team in Arlington 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 I am excited about the energy college tennis provides.”
Regalia started playing tennis at the age of four after watching his older sister play at the YMCA near his home in Arlington. In 2011 he joined JTCC, working his way through the JTCC pathway of Red Ball classes to Full-Time Champs. Regalia’s play eventually drew the attention of his future mentor JTCC Director of International Operations Asaf Yamin.
“Stefan’s energy and competitiveness caught my eye right away. His outstanding work ethic and determination make him an excellent leader, and we are lucky to have him at JTCC,” Yamin stated.
In November, Regalia plans to sign his letter of intent to play at Virginia, following the footsteps of notable JTCC and Virginia alumni Treat Huey and Mitchell Frank.
“Turning pro is a goal of mine, but I plan to go to UVA for four years. I want to try and turn pro after I graduate, so I have a degree and great education to fall back on if tennis doesn’t work out,” Regalia stated. “My goal is to play in the Junior Grand Slams next year and continue to work hard. I would not be where I am today without JTCC and the support from teachers, coaches, and my friends and family.”
