ANNVILLE, Pa. - Lebanon Valley College President Lewis E. Thayne, Ph.D., announced that the College has received a generous gift from Benjamin and Suzanne Shankroff that will transform the College's tennis center into the Middle Atlantic Conference's premier tennis complex. Dr. Thayne also announced that the new complex will be named the Shankroff Tennis Center in honor of the family's generosity and support of the College's students.

The Shankroffs are the grandparents of two Lebanon Valley College attendees, cousins Kelsey and Jordan Shankroff. Kelsey, who graduated in 2013 with a degree in business administration, is the daughter of Brett and Rita Shankroff. Jordan, who will graduate this May with a degree in digital communications, played No. 1 singles and doubles for LVC's men's tennis team this spring. He is the son of Betty and Mark Shankroff.

"We are just two happy grandparents who will have had two graduates from Lebanon Valley within the last two years, and we wanted to do what we could to help the campus," said Benjamin and Suzanne Shankroff. "We really enjoy watching our grandchildren mature. They really grew up at Lebanon Valley College."

"Every gift has a story and a dream," noted Dr. Thayne. "The creation of the Shankroff Tennis Center is both. The Shankroffs felt that the success of Lebanon Valley College's men's and women's tennis programs—athletically and academically—adds a great deal to our student experience and that the student-athletes should have an excellent facility to enhance that experience.

"Ben and Sue are exemplars of doing things first class," added Dr. Thayne. "I am grateful for their extraordinary generosity, for making the College a priority in their lives, and for making tennis a priority for Lebanon Valley College. We are truly grateful for their belief in our students."

The new Shankroff Tennis Center, which is expected to be completed by the time students return to campus in the fall, will include six U.S. Open-style courts, three of which will be lit for nighttime play. The complex will also include a covered pavilion for player and fan comfort, restroom facilities, ADA-compliant fan and player access to the courts, courtside seating, and storage for program equipment. 

"Having such a beautiful, well-lit complex will increase player accessibility and reduce the academic burden on our student-athletes," noted tennis player Sam Calabria '15, who will attend medical school in the fall. "It will enable better scheduling around academic priorities and increased usage by all students and community members," added Calabria, who is also president of Student Government.

"It's going to assist with recruitment and making us become the best program we can be," said Calabria. "I would really like to thank the Shankroffs because their generosity will make a huge impact on the students and athletes of Lebanon Valley College. We really appreciate it. Thank you!"

Lebanon Valley College's approach to intercollegiate athletics emerges from our long history of educational excellence and from our commitment to the holistic development of students. We embrace the educational value of competitive sports, and we structure our athletic programs to maximize their contribution in preparing world-ready graduates.

LVC's tennis program represents some of the finest examples of scholar athletes—and has for almost a century. The men's tennis program traces its roots to the spring 1922 season, while the women's tennis program became a varsity sport in 1994 under the legendary coach of both programs, Cliff Myers. Last year, the men's team earned an average GPA of 3.3 (the highest of any men's program). The women's team earned an average GPA of 3.5.