Asbury University (AU) announced the construction of a new on-campus tennis facility in Wilmore, Ky., which includes six lighted courts and locker rooms for the men’s and women’s teams. Construction is set to begin later this year and will be completed in August, prior to the start of the 2026 fall semester.
“Having a brand new USTA approved tennis facility further complements a world class athletics corridor at Asbury,” said Asbury University President Dr. Kevin Brown. “I am excited for our men’s and women’s teams to have brand new courts that match the high level of excellence they have demonstrated in recent years. In addition to our desire to hospitably host guests on our beautiful campus, this new facility will help Asbury continue to recruit competitive student athletes. We are thrilled for this opportunity!”
“We are blessed by the generosity of donors who have provided the opportunity to have an on-campus tennis facility,” said Mark Whitworth, Asbury University vice president of intercollegiate athletics & university communications. “The six lighted courts will enable our student athletes the flexibility they need to excel in the classroom and in competition. We are also grateful to construct new locker rooms for both teams in the Luce Center. All of this will significantly enhance the student-athlete experience for our championship caliber tennis program.”
For the past decade, Asbury University’s tennis teams have practiced and competed in Nicholasville, Ky., and will now have home courts in the heart of campus. Both the men’s and women’s tennis programs were the first AU teams to qualify for an NCAA Tournament appearance, earning automatic bids in 2025 with their victories in the Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) Championships. The CCS named Asbury tennis head coach Jarred Miller as the 2025 Men’s Tennis Coach of the Year, after guiding the Eagles to a perfect 6-0 conference record in their inaugural CCS season.
Under Miller’s leadership, the AU men’s team not only claimed the CCS Regular Season Championship and the tournament’s number one seed but also put together an eight-match winning streak en route to an impressive 11-3 overall record in their first active season in NCAA Division III competition. Heading into his 18th season as coach of the men and 16th for the women, Miller has coached the men’s and women’s Asbury tennis teams combined to over 300 career wins as the winningest head coach in school history for both programs.
“Having our own on-campus tennis facility is going to allow these defending conference champions to show what they can do as athletes,” Miller said. “It will allow them to participate in the sport that they love. Working with these athletes over the past eighteen years has been a true highlight as I watch them grow into adults and Christ followers.”
Senior business administration major Ariadna Zegarra received the 2025 CCS Player of the Year Award, while sophomore marketing major Katherine Nova was named the 2025 CCS Rookie of the Year. For the AU men’s team, junior accounting major Ben Moore was named the 2025 CCS Tournament MVP after leading his team to a championship. The men’s team also received the 2025 Eagle Award Men’s Team of the Year and the Men’s Scholar Team of the Year.
“I have really enjoyed playing tennis at Asbury because it pushes me physically and mentally, helping me stay disciplined, competitive, and constantly improve my game,” Nova said. “I am especially excited about the new tennis facility because it will provide better courts and training conditions, allowing players to train at a higher level and elevate the overall competitiveness of the tennis program.”
For the 2025 fall semester, Asbury tennis teams received GPA averages of 3.41 (men) and 3.60 (women), maintaining academic excellence while serving, training, and competing for Team AU.
View more about Asbury men’s and women’s tennis and Asbury Athletics here.