JERSEY CITY, NJ --- The New Jersey City University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has announced that men's and women's tennis will be the newest additions to its intercollegiate sports offerings, beginning in Fall, 2019. The tennis programs will be the 17th and 18th sports in NJCU's growing athletic program and the fifth and sixth to be added since June, 2018. NJCU will undergo a national search to identify a full-time head coach to lead both programs this spring.
 
"As our department continues to expand, men's and women's tennis are natural fits to be added to our intercollegiate athletic offerings," said Shawn Tucker, Director of Athletics and Associate Vice President. "With our desirable location and robust international studies program, we look forward to relaunching these programs at NJCU and anticipate both will be successful."
 
The men's and women's tennis programs will compete on the club level during the 2019-20 academic year and will be elevated to full varsity status in Fall, 2020. NJCU will practice at Jersey City's Lincoln Park.
 
Once elevated to varsity status, NJCU's women's tennis program will become the eighth school in the 10-institution New Jersey Athletic Conference to offer the sport, joining Kean, Ramapo, Richard Stockton, Rutgers-Camden, Rutgers-Newark, TCNJ and William Paterson.
 
Meanwhile, NJCU's men's tennis team will be the fifth full NJAC member to sponsor the sport, joining Ramapo, Rutgers-Camden, Rutgers-Newark, and TCNJ.
 
The addition of men's and women's tennis will mark the return of the sport to NJCU for the first time since men's tennis was discontinued in 1999. Then-Jersey City State College formerly offered women's tennis in the late 1960s and throughout much of the 1970s. Women's tennis was originally added as a club program in Fall 2014 but was not elevated to varsity status.
 
NJCU has enjoyed success in the sport with seven men and two women currently enshrined in the Athletics Hall of Fame in the sport of tennis.