TEMPE, Ariz. – As the 2023-24 collegiate tennis season comes to a close with the Santa Clara men's tennis program recognized in the various national and regional rankings and receiving other accolades, the International Tennis Association Kickoff Weekend Draft took place on Wednesday, signaling the start of the 2024-25 season.
 
The draft gives the coaches the power to choose where their team plays at the 17^th annual ITA Kickoff Weekend with factors such as travel and opponent under consideration. 
 
The Kickoff Weekend takes place Jan. 24-27, 2025 at 14 sites across the country.  The host sites were already determined based on 2024 year-end rankings so the remaining schools selected where they play based on their year-end finish starting with the 15th ranked team and running until all the spots were filled. 
 
This year's host sites on the men's side are: TCU, Texas, Ohio State, Virginia, Kentucky, Wake Forest, Tennessee, Columbia, Arizona, Florida State, Oklahoma, Harvard, Mississippi State, and Duke.  
 
With four teams per site, a total of 56 teams comprise the 2025 ITA Kickoff Weekend draw, a change from previous years when there were 15 sites and 60 teams. 
 
Santa Clara finished No. 59 nationally this season and Bronco head coach Niall Angus selected the Lexington, Kentucky region in the draft where they are in the same group as host, No. 5 Kentucky along with No. 20 Arizona State and No. 49 Nebraska. 
 
The 2025 ITA Kickoff Weekend provides a chance to qualify for the ITA National Team Indoor Championships which will be co-hosted by Baylor and SMU.  The 16 team championship draw will be comprised of the two host schools plus winners from each of the 14 ITA Kickoff Weekend sites. 
 
This will be Santa Clara's first appearance at the ITA Kickoff Weekend since 2020 and the sixth overall having played in it for four straight seasons from 2011-14.