Outdoor Tennis Back At St. John’s University After Five Year Hiatus

COLLEGEVILLE -- After five years of waiting, home court advantage will finally be coming back to the St. John's mens tennis team.

The school is finishing construction on seven brand new tennis courts, including one court which can be used for pickle ball.

St. John's University Athletic Director Bob Alpers says they haven't had outdoor tennis on campus since they converted the old courts into a parking lot due to poor court conditions.

"It was crumbling and there was no way to salvage it. It wasn't a very playable surface and we wanted to do it right when we built new courts and I think we have," says Alpers.

The tennis team has been using their indoor facility or playing at St. Ben's for outdoor matches for the last five years.

Alpers says with the construction of Gagliardi Field they felt now was the right time to build the new courts. He says once opened it should help build a stronger tennis program on campus.

"I think once people see what we got going here it will help us build a real strong intermural program and I think there will be a lot of people excited about it once its completed," says Alpers.

Crews should be finished painting the lines within the next week.

Alpers adds the turf on Gaglardi Field should be finished by October 1st with work on the dome starting by October 17th.