Spartan Tennis

York College’s tennis teams have played for years on outdated courts wedged between parking lots on Main Campus. Their challenge did not go unnoticed by the College or by the fans who support them, like Doug and Theresa Lehigh of York. They began asking how they could help when their son Devin came to York in 2014 to play tennis.

“We kept in touch with Paul Saikia, the Athletic Director, while Devin was here,” said Doug, a 1993 graduate of York College. “I saw how he was able to transform the baseball facilities, and I believed he could do the same for tennis.”

The Lehighs pledged $25,000 in 2020 to help improve the tennis facilities at the College. The timing was key, said Doug, as the Spartans were moving from the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) to the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC). “When the College moved conferences, we thought the teams could really compete well in the MAC,” Doug said. “We remained in the middle of the pack every year in the CAC, because it was tougher to get recruits after they came to campus and saw our courts.”

Their support coincided with that of Mrs. Barbara Myers as well. She has been a steadfast supporter of various initiatives at YCP, as had her late husband, Donald. The College was proud to honor this by naming the complex after the Myers and the first court after the Lehighs.

The Lehighs also chose to make their pledge in support of EVOLVE, the College’s first comprehensive campaign. “Our goal was to make it better for future student-athletes,” said Doug, who serves on the EVOLVE Campaign Cabinet. “We wanted them to have a great experience at the College and give them the best opportunity to compete at the highest level while getting their degree.”

The couple has personally experienced the value of a York College degree. Doug earned an Associate degree in Computer Programming in 1985 and then returned to the College to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education-Business in 1993. He is currently the Director of IT Strategic Services at WellSpan Health in York.

Doug and Theresa’s children have also prospered as York College graduates. Son Devin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing in 2018. He is currently the Assistant Tennis Coach at York College and an Internet Marketing Consultant at WebFX in Harrisburg.

Their daughter, Kelsie, graduated in 2014 with a Sport Management major and Human Resources minor. She currently works for AllSearch Recruiting in York as a

Delivery Manager. Her husband, Greg, graduated in 2013 from York College with a Political Science and History major, then earned a Master’s Degree in Urban Affairs from Hunter College in New York. He is a Project Manager at WellSpan Health.

“We have seen what York College has done over the years, as we watched our kids look at colleges,” Doug said. “They chose York because their academic programs were the best. Participating in athletics was important, but that was second.”

The new tennis complex the Lehighs are supporting will be built in phases, according to Saikia. “There will be six courts, initially, in phase one,” he said. “When the project is completed, we will have eight or nine courts, depending on how we decide to build out. The facility will also have a building with locker rooms, restrooms, and storage. Some or all of the courts will be lighted.”

Doug and Theresa Lehigh are happy that they are able to offer their financial support to the College, and they are encouraging others to do the same. “We are happy to talk about supporting this project and others,” said Doug. “We are looking to create a program with levels of support, to make giving more accessible.”

“We are all about supporting local and doing things for the community and the College,” said Theresa. “This just felt like something we wanted to do.”

Beyond the Office and Classroom: