Daniel Park Named One of Five Finalists for ITA's Ann Lebedeff Leadership Award

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Claremont-Mudd-Scripps senior men's tennis player Daniel Park was chosen by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association as one of the five finalists for the annual Ann Lebedeff Leadership Award, the organization announced today.

The ITA Ann Lebedeff Leadership Award endowed by Billie Jean King was created to honor a recent college graduate who played college tennis and demonstrated excellence on and off the court, leadership on his or her team as well as on his or her college campus and in his or her community.

The recipient of the award will have demonstrated grit (i.e. passion and perseverance towards long-term goals), a commitment to social justice and equality and will have pushed others to be leaders in addition to demonstrating his or her own leadership.

Park is a two-year co-captain, twice helping the Stags reach the national championship match. His career record stands at 125-40, while his 62-13 singles record gives him the third-best winning percentage (.827) in program history. He was ranked No. 31 in the nation in singles his senior year (No. 10 in the West Region). 

Off the court, Park is a science and management major at Claremont McKenna. He has partnered with RxAll to address the counterfeit drug epidemic in Nigeria and has volunteered with Pomona Promise to help prepare food for the homeless. He has also regularly been part of the CMS contingent which teaches physical education classes at nearby Mountain View Elementary School.

After reviewing the five finalists' materials, which includes a personal statement, resume, and letters from their coach, teammate and institution's president, the ITA Ann Lebedeff Leadership Award Selection Panel will choose the winner. In addition to the winner being awarded a post-graduate scholarship, the ITA will make a $1000 donation to the award winner's college tennis program. It is the ITA's hope that the winner will be announced in June and honored at a special awards ceremony during the 2020 ITA Leadership Weekend in New York City in August. 

The Ann Lebedeff Leadership Award is entering its third year, with the previous awards going to Andrew Akins of Duquesne (2019) and Nithya Kanagasegar of Case Western Reserve (2018).