UTR Sports to Host College Championship and Hurd Awards at BNP Paribas Open
February 6, 2025
UTR Sports will host the UTR Sports College Championship on March 14-16, 2025, in Indian Wells, Calif., during the BNP Paribas Open. The collegiate tournament will feature four men’s tennis programs: Baylor University, Pepperdine University, Arizona State University, and Princeton University.
The UTR Sports College Championship is one of many initiatives by UTR Sports to innovate and promote collegiate tennis. Also taking place during the BNP Paribas Open is the unveiling of the 2025 Universal Tennis Foundation Hurd Award recipients on March 9.
Made possible by a generous gift from the Hurd family, the Universal Tennis Foundation Hurd Awards are $100,000 grants given to one male and one female American collegiate player each year to assist in their transition to international tennis competition. Past recipients include Ethan Quinn, Peyton Stearns, Christopher Eubanks, Danielle Collins, JJ Wolf, and Mackenzie McDonald. Applications are open until Feb. 7.
The UTR Sports College Championship offers a unique opportunity for collegiate athletes to compete on the same stage as the world’s best professionals, enhancing the visibility of college tennis. The tournament semifinals will be held on March 14 and 15 with the finals and third-place matches scheduled for March 16. All matches will be played in the morning.
“We are excited to bring together these exceptional collegiate teams at such a prestigious venue, and celebrate our 2025 Hurd award recipients on one of the biggest stages in tennis,” said Chase Hodges, UTR Sports Vice President. “Our goal continues to be elevating college tennis by providing student-athletes unparalleled opportunities to showcase their talents globally.”
Pepperdine is looking to secure its fifth straight NCAA tournament appearance, while Arizona State is led by senior Murphy Cassone, who won his first ATP Challenger last fall. Princeton’s squad featured multiple players in the fall NCAA Individual Championships, and Baylor, NCAA team finalists in 2021, boasts one of the highest-ranked doubles teams in the nation (seniors Marko Miladinovic and Oskar Brostrom Poulsen).
In 2023, UTR Sports hosted the UTR College Match Challenge at the BNP Paribas Open, showcasing a tightly contested dual match where the University of Southern California men’s team edged out Pepperdine University 4-3 in front of more than 1,800 fans. The event was the first of its kind held by UTR Sports and the BNP Paribas Open.
Fans attending the BNP Paribas Open, scheduled from March 2-16, 2025, at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, will have access to the UTR Sports College Championship matches and Hurd Awards presentation with a ticket to the respective day. Ticketing information and the full schedule of events are available on the BNP Paribas Open official website.