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Bronx, N.Y. – Tennis takes center stage in New York City next month, and so does Fordham. Just days before the world descends on Queens for the U.S. Open Tennis Championships, Ram tennis supporters will gather in the Bronx for a night that celebrates more than just a sport. On Wednesday, August 20, Fordham will host the inaugural Crosscourt Awards Gala in the McShane Center on Fordham’s Rose Hill campus.
The event will highlight the values of community, character, and the concept of solidarity, which has been rooted in the faith and service of the Jesuit Order for nearly 500 years. This will be emphasized with the presentation of the Fordham Tennis Solidarity Award to outstanding individuals who exemplify the core values and strong sense of purpose that reflect the very best of what Fordham stands for. The 2025 honorees will be Katrina Adams and Kevin McKay, two remarkable people whose leadership, courage, and commitment to social justice have made an indelible mark in our community and around the world.
Katrina Adams — A 20-time doubles champion on the WTA Tour, Adams made history in 2015 as the first African American to serve as President and Chair of the United States Tennis Association (USTA). As Executive Director of the Harlem Junior Tennis & Education Program, she continues to shape the lives of New York City youth through sport, fitness, and education. In 2023, she was awarded the International Olympic Committee’s Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Champions Award. Recently, she was elected Honorary Life Vice President of the International Tennis Federation. Adams is a global speaker and author, with her debut novel, “Own the Arena,” published in 2021.
Kevin McKay — The Honorable Joseph Kevin McKay, former Justice of the Supreme Court of New York, ruled the red clay at Fordham 60 years ago. As a distinguished student-athlete, McKay stepped onto the Rose Hill campus in 1962, the year Fordham became the FIRST Jesuit College to receive a Phi Beta Kappa charter for its outstanding academic standing across the nation. The Jesuit values instilled in him at Fordham helped to influence and guide McKay toward a remarkable judicial career that spanned three decades. As a founding board member of the Fordham Crosscourt Club, McKay has been steadfast in his commitment to the tennis program.
The gala will also recognize the student-athletes of Fordham Tennis, who have come from all corners of the globe to be immersed in a university culture that values faith, reason, service, and solidarity. The women and men of the tennis program reflect the diversity, energy, passion, grit and spirit of the Big Apple. They are “New York City’s Tennis Team.”
The evening will bring together Fordham’s administrative leaders, alumni, friends, and coaches to share in great food, good company, and unforgettable auction items — including a special dinner with courtside seats at the U.S. Open, behind-the-scenes access to the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, and an all-inclusive 7-day experience at a Tuscan villa. Whether you’re a longtime supporter or new to the program, we hope you’ll be part of this exciting moment for Fordham Tennis.