Earlier this month, the UTR Sports College Showcase brought 45 junior players and 22 coaches together for three days of action in Rome, Ga. Held at the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College from Oct. 31-Nov 2, 2025, the Showcase was a huge opportunity for juniors to gain college exposure and improve their UTR Rating, while coaches got to recruit future players up close.
“I wanted to put my name out there. Just play well, have a good time,” said Rahul Anand, a 17-year-old from Dunwoody, Ga. “My biggest takeaway was definitely talking to the coaches to see what they look for in the recruiting process.”
Coaches came from programs across all divisions with Bruno Tiberti, assistant men’s coach at the University of Georgia, hosting College Prep Day on the opening day of the Showcase, complete with a coaching session and conversation with players and parents.
“This UTR showcase is probably the best run, most professional event that I've been to to date — the staff is elite,” said Brett Karpman, assistant coach at Methodist University. “The players here came with the right attitude, the right prep.”
UTR Sports hosted the NAIA and NJCAA Individual National Championships at the same time and location, giving juniors in the Showcase a glimpse into their possible futures.
“It's very amazing to see all the college players playing, what they play like, how the teams interact with each other,” said Alexis Gard, a senior from Seattle. “It's very awesome to see that that's going to be something that I'm going to be a part of when I graduate.”
The Showcase attracted players from all over the country, even as far as Hawaii, as well as high school coaches.
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“We have several kids who want to go play college tennis,” said Derek Lashley, high school coach at First Presbyterian Day School. “In today's environment of recruiting kids worldwide, this is a great chance for my kids to come locally and have a lot of college coaches come see them play, but also learn how to get better against some really quality competition.”
Players competed in four Verified UTR matches during the weekend, and coaches took part in educational seminars and Q&As, giving participants a chance to learn and express interest.
“Players can maximize these Showcase events by asking questions to all the coaches, networking with all the coaches,” said George Rodriguez, head coach at Calvin University. “When they do play their matches, being able to showcase their effort, how they play, their personalities—using [this event] to find the right school for them as they move forward through the recruiting process”
The 2026 UTR Sports College Showcase is already locked in for next year, taking place Oct. 30-Nov 1 in Rome, Ga. In the meantime, players can take advantage of upcoming Showcases hosted in December by UTR’s partners, in Florida, Tennessee, and around the world. See the full schedule here.
“I can see the environment that UTR is trying to create,” said Samford Head Men’s Coach Oliver Reynolds. “They understand the college system well. They want to put you in those environments where you're going to have a great representation of what it could look like to play in college.”
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