Grants & Scholarships,

The wait is officially over. The USTA Midwest Tennis & Education Foundation (MTEF) has revealed its lineup of grant and scholarship winners for 2026, and it is a massive list of talent.

This year, MTEF is serving up financial support to 17 standout junior tennis players and 22 game-changing community organizations across Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

At MTEF, we believe tennis is much more than keeping a yellow ball in the courts. It is about building character, opening doors to education, and teaching life lessons that stick long after the match is over. This year’s winners are doing exactly that. Whether they are training for national junior tournaments or bringing the sport to local public parks, these honorees are using tennis to lift up their communities.

The Headline Awards

First up are MTEF’s premier scholarships. These awards are designed to help talented junior players and dedicated students smash through the financial barriers of travel, training, and education.

• The Dorothy Kohl Future Star Achievement Award goes to Summer Ratcliff of Central Indiana and Natalia Martinez of Wisconsin. Named after the legendary Midwest Hall of Fame inductee, this award supports top-tier young women competing on the national circuit, helping them get the elite training and travel resources they need to thrive.
• The Richard Bradley Memorial Scholarship goes to SeMya Henderson of Chicago. This scholarship honors a legendary volunteer leader and supports a student-athlete who perfectly balances big academic goals with tennis excellence.
• The Rick Van Horn Scholarship goes to Jackson Baker of Chicago, celebrating a player who shows outstanding sportsmanship on the court and leadership in the classroom.
• The Anne Krupp Memorial Scholarship goes to the Monroe Family YMCA in Southeast Michigan for its outstanding commitment to local youth development.

Strengthening the Grassroots

Beyond the individual awards, MTEF’s organizational grants are injecting funding straight into local neighborhoods. This year’s group highlights just how diverse the Midwest tennis family is.

Grants are heading to adaptive programs like ACEing Autism in Northeast Ohio, cultural hubs like Amigos, the Richmond Latino Center in Central Indiana, and historic local staples like the Motor City Tennis Club in Southeast Michigan. These non-profits serve as safe spaces, after-school anchors, and a first introduction to the sport for thousands of kids who might otherwise never pick up a racquet.

The Official 2026 MTEF Winner Directory

Premier Scholarships & Special Awards

• The Dorothy Kohl Future Star Achievement Award: Summer Ratcliff (Central Indiana) and Natalia Martinez (Wisconsin)
• The Richard Bradley Memorial Scholarship: SeMya Henderson (Chicago)
• The Rick Van Horn Scholarship: Jackson Baker (Chicago)
• The Anne Krupp Memorial Scholarship: Monroe Family YMCA (Southeast Michigan)

Individual Grant Winners

• Chase Martin — Northeastern Michigan
• Srijan Basireddy — Central Indiana
• Serena Miller — Southeast Michigan
• Yuuzki Olson — Ohio Valley
• Jake Critchfield — Ohio Valley
• Joshan Ramdam — Northeast Ohio
• Coco Burfien — Northern Indiana
• Grayson Serfaty — Central Indiana
• Arpan Diyali — Northeast Ohio
• Kirill Rata — Chicago
• Maya Keller — Chicago
• Alexandra Hamby — Mid-South Illinois
• Benjamin Rai — Northeast Ohio
• Nivi Raj — Chicago
• Mari-Yona Shannon — Northwest Ohio
• Ava Banike — Northern Illinois
• Eleanor Simonsen — Wisconsin

Organization Grant Winners

• Southern Illinois Tennis Association — Mid-South Illinois
• Knox Sports Complex Incorporated — Central Indiana
• The ACE Project — Chicago
• The Lima Area Tennis Association — Northwest Ohio
• Springfield Park District – Velasco Tennis Center — Mid-South Illinois
• Advantage Cleveland Tennis and Education, Inc. — Northeast Ohio
• Amigos, the Richmond Latino Center Inc. — Central Indiana
• Love To Serve, Inc. — Chicago
• Teaching & Mentoring Young Leaders — Western Michigan
• People of Palmer Park — Southeast Michigan
• Decatur Community Tennis Foundation — Mid-South Illinois
• Bethel Area Tennis Association — Ohio Valley
• ACEing Autism — Northeast Ohio
• West Michigan Community Tennis Inc. — Western Michigan
• Monroe Family YMCA — Southeast Michigan
• Evansville Area Tennis Patrons — Central Indiana
• Great River Tennis Association, Inc. — Mid-South Illinois
• Tennis Opportunity Program — Chicago
• Blue Sky Tennis — Southeast Michigan
• Motor City Tennis Club — Southeast Michigan
• Thrive Through Tennis Foundation — Northeast Ohio
• Accelerate4KIDS — Southeast Michigan

Want to Fuel the Future?

MTEF runs on the generosity of our amazing tennis community. If you want to help us fund the next generation of rockstar players and programs, consider making a tax-deductible donation. Every dollar goes directly to youth equipment, community parks, and life-changing scholarships across the Midwest.

To Donate to MTEF: Click HERE!