TEMPE, Ariz. — Over the course of the 2025-26 college tennis season, members of the ITA Student-Athlete Council will be featured in monthly spotlights that will give the greater college tennis community an inside look at some of our Student-Athlete Council members and what they are accomplishing on and off the court.
The next spotlight of the season features Rohit Jain, a sophomore at Case Western Reserve University who hopes his stint on the Council can help student-athletes from diverse backgrounds and smaller schools share their stories and experiences.
“By getting people’s stories out, we can show athletes that not everyone’s path is linear and that while transitions may be difficult and uneasy at first, they lead to some pretty awesome things in the future.”
Read more about Rohit in this spotlight below:
Why was it important to you to apply to the ITA Student-Athlete Council, and what does it mean to you to represent college tennis athletes from across all levels of play, as well as specifically the level of play where you compete?
My first year as a college tennis athlete was an amazing experience as I was immersed into the beautiful, competitive, and dynamic world of college tennis. I saw how much people cared and how important these memories and times are for each student-athlete. This desire to ensure each athlete is able to maximize their growth and development during their time as an athlete fueled me to apply to the Council. Specifically serving at the Division III level, I am grateful to speak for the smaller schools and allow them to have their time in the spotlight.
You’ve mentioned that listening to an episode of the ITA Student-Athlete Podcast was the turning point that helped you choose Case Western. How does it feel now to be on the Council, potentially becoming that same voice of “purpose and possibility” for the next generation of recruits?
It is a blessing to be a voice advocating and supporting college tennis. I was pretty on the fence about college tennis because I was concerned how it would affect my academic life, but watching the podcast where former council member, Abi Wild, spoke with CWRU student Ansh Shah, I was relieved and ensured I could do both. College tennis has been the best experience of my university life, and I love that I get to encourage high schoolers to take the leap and compete at the next level.
One of your top priorities is expanding the visibility of college tennis through storytelling. Why do you believe it is so important for athletes from underrepresented schools, divisions, and backgrounds to see themselves reflected in the media?
Each student-athlete has a unique story that can inspire and amaze those around the world. By allowing people from diverse backgrounds and smaller schools to have the chance to share their story, we are empowering them and showing people that there is so much more to college tennis than meets the eye. While the tennis and highlight reels are fantastic, there is beauty in the growth and bonds that college tennis helps form through the ups and downs of each season. Displaying this with our media outreach initiatives will allow people to be proud of what they are doing wherever they are.
You’ve noted that the path through college tennis isn’t always linear. How can the Council better support athletes navigating transitions, whether that’s a transfer, a change in team culture, or a shift in academic focus?
One way that we are working on supporting these athletes who are navigating transitions is by increasing our alumni network. By providing students with a larger base of people they can reach out to, we can give them access to lived experience and knowledge that will be critical in their decision making. Another way we can work on this is by the storytelling initiative. By getting people’s stories out, we can show athletes that not everyone’s path is linear and that while transitions may be difficult and uneasy at first, they lead to some pretty awesome things in the future.
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The ITA Student-Athlete Council is a committee of student-athletes who play college tennis assembled to provide insights regarding the sport with a special emphasis on the student-athlete experience. The goals of this committee are as follows: Present a student-athlete voice within the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) (1), Offer input regarding matters pertaining to the sport, particularly issues impacting the lives of student-athletes (2), Work to enhance the student-athlete experience specific to college tennis across all divisions (3), Invest in the leaders of tomorrow by creating leadership and professional development opportunities (4).