TEMPE, Ariz. – Luke Swan, a charismatic leader within the TCU men's tennis program and across campus, will possess one of the most catalytic voices in college tennis in 2023-24.
Swan, a rising junior, was announced on Thursday as one of 10 student athletes comprising the inaugural Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Student Athlete Council.
The ITA Student Athlete Council was formed to create a committee of active college players to provide insight on the sport with an emphasis on the student athlete experience.
"I am excited to help push all collegiate tennis players to be the best version of themselves outside of the lines," Swan said. "It is going to be an incredibly rewarding year for all."
Swan was one of three Division I athletes selected to the committee alongside Virginia Tech's Ryan Fishback and Saige Roshkoff of Penn. The committee also features two athletes from the Division II and Division III levels along with one student-athlete from the NAIA, JUCO, and wheelchair sectors of the sport.
"The ITA stands at the forefront of collegiate athletics coaching associations, upholding a legacy of excellence," said ITA COO David Mullins. "As college athletics undergoes a dynamic transformation, our commitment to staying ahead necessitates a continuous engagement with a diverse array of stakeholders. Introducing the ITA Student-Athlete Council, we take a significant stride towards addressing the core concerns that resonate with our current student-athletes, who are poised to shape the future of our industry and lead in various spheres in the years to come."
Originally from Bristol, United Kingdom, Swan accepted a preferred walk-on invitation to join TCU men's tennis in September following a two-week tryout. He quickly became an emergent, motivating presence within the program. Swan helped TCU repeat as ITA Indoor National Champions, capture the Big 12 Championship and advance to its fourth-ever NCAA D1 Men's Championship semifinal in his first season in purple and white.
Swan, a marketing and finance major at TCU, maintains an active involvement with the sport's developmental arm and in extracurricular organizations. He served as a tennis coach at Wichita Country Club as a high school student at Wichita Collegiate Prep. At TCU, Swan founded "Frog Pickle," the student-run pickleball club on campus, is a Neeley name, image and likeness coach with the M.J. Neeley School of Business and is a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.
About the ITA Student Athlete Council
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).
Each of these ten student-athletes elected will bring a unique perspective of our sport to the Student Athlete Council and are sure to advocate for each and every one of the over 19,000 student-athletes who take part in college tennis each year.
As an ITA Board Member, Clarisse Baca, as coach of the Academy of the Arts, helped to launch this exciting new endeavor. She commented, "Returning the leaders of tomorrow is one of the missions of the ITA. With the ITA Student-Athlete Council, students across the country from different divisions and conferences will have the opportunity to contribute to the enhancement of college tennis on and off the court. College athletics is changing by the minute and now more than ever we need their involvement and creative ideas to make sure that our sport continues to flourish!"
About Luke Swan
Luke Swan has seen firsthand the impact collegiate athletics have on student-athletes and all of the joy being a college tennis player brings. Playing for the back-to-back ITA National Team Indoor Champions, TCU, Swan has experienced many ups and downs within our sport and hopes to utilize these experiences to support student athletes everywhere. Swan hopes to continue to give a voice to the student-athletes within our sport and strives to maintain the first class experience he has received for generations to come.
