The Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation (MCB) would like to wish all of our players, parents, and friends a Happy Labor Day! We hope you are having a nice summer and playing lots of tennis!

12th Annual "Little Mo" Internationals

West Orange, New Jersey

WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Congratulations to the winners of the 12th Annual "Little Mo" Internationals tournament in West Orange, New Jersey and 2nd leg of the 2023 "Little Mo" Slam! This special event was held at the West Orange Tennis Club (host site) from Sunday, August 20 - Thursday, August 24, 2023. Approximately 200 players from 30 different countries and territories worldwide were featured in this international tournament including Australia, Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, England, France, Guatemala, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Tonga, and 15 states across the USA! With so many talented players from around the world, it was a fantastic week filled with new friendships, great sportsmanship, and competitive tennis. This year, we were also celebrating a very special milestone for our Foundation - the 70th Anniversary of Maureen Connolly's Grand Slam win in 1953! For all draws and results, please click on the green "Results" button below:

12th Annual "Little Mo" Internationals in New Jersey

West Orange Tennis Club

West Orange, New Jersey

August 20-24, 2023

Singles Winners

Girls 12: Leala Kramer - Short Hills, New Jersey

Girls 11: Mia Fedus - Stará Ľubovňa, Slovakia

Girls 10 (yellow ball): Inie Toli - Wellington, Florida / Tonga

Girls 10 (green dot): Milana Ivanov - Sewickley, Pennsylvania

Girls 9 (yellow ball): Juliette Prince - Syosset, New York

Girls 9 (green dot): Jocelyn Ai - Toronto, Canada

Girls 8 (yellow ball): Mausia Toli - Wellington, Florida / Tonga

Girls 8 (green dot): Mia Jimenez Mendez - Chía, Colombia

Boys 12: Marcus Gonzales - New York, New York

Boys 11: Stanley Oriala Jr. - Florham Park, New Jersey / Nigeria

Boys 10 (yellow ball): Jacques Gunalp - New York, New York

Boys 10 (green dot): Arjun Asrani - Millburn, New Jersey

Boys 9 (yellow ball): Temo McAdoo - Lawrenceville, Georgia

Boys 9 (green dot): Lucca Teixeira - Montreal, Canada

Boys 8 (yellow ball): Alexander Kedrin - Garden City, New York

Boys 8 (green dot): Noah Jackson - New York, New York / England

Doubles Winners

Girls 12: Leala Kramer - Short Hills, New Jersey│Vera Koval - Freehold Township, New Jersey

Girls 11: Mia Fedus - Stará Ľubovňa, Slovakia│Chloe Kuijt - Iklin, Malta

Girls 10 (yellow ball): Valentina Singh Carvajal - Morristown, New Jersey / Australia│Inie Toli - Wellington, Florida / Tonga

Girls 9/10 (green dot): Raquel Delarosa - North Miami Beach, Florida / Colombia│Milana Ivanov - Sewickley, Pennsylvania

Girls 9 (yellow ball): Lily Bullaro - Great Neck, New York│Juliette Prince - Syosset, New York

Girls 8 (yellow ball): Rhea Talari - Suwanee, Georgia│Mausia Toli - Wellington, Florida / Tonga

Girls 8 (green dot): Mia Jimenez Mendez - Chía, Colombia│Melodie Geffrard - West Hempstead, New York

Boys 12: Callen Waese - Mississauga, Canada│Ayaan Jayanty - Livingston, New Jersey / India

Boys 11: Stanley Oriala Jr. - Florham Park, New Jersey / Nigeria│Ishan Lingamaneni - Short Hills, New Jersey

Boys 10 (yellow ball): David Llovera - Mexico City, Mexico│Jacques Gunalp - New York, New York

Boys 10 (green dot): Ryan Driscoll - Westport, Connecticut│Arjun Asrani - Millburn, New Jersey

Boys 9 (yellow ball): Aditya Muthiraj - Monroe Township, New Jersey / India│Cashel Kay - Jersey City, New Jersey

Boys 9 (green dot): Bento Santos - São Paulo, Brazil│Lucca Teixeira - Montreal, Canada

Boys 8 (yellow ball): Alexander Kedrin - Garden City, New York│Lucas Gonzales - Melville, New York

Boys 8 (green dot): Owen Finocchietti - West Palm Beach, Florida│Aiden Finocchietti - West Palm Beach, Florida

Mixed Doubles Winners

Mixed 12: Leala Kramer - Short Hills, New Jersey│Marcus Gonzales - New York, New York

Mixed 11: Mia Fedus - Stará Ľubovňa, Slovakia│Stanley Oriala Jr. - Florham Park, New Jersey

Mixed 10 (yellow ball): Inie Toli - Wellington, Florida / Tonga│David Llovera - Mexico City, Mexico

Mixed 10 (green dot): Hailey Lee - Markham, Canada│Bradley Cai - Markham, Canada

Mixed 9 (yellow ball): Jordyn Cheung - Edgewater, New Jersey│Temo McAdoo - Lawrenceville, Georgia

Mixed 9 (green dot): Jocelyn Ai - Toronto, Canada│Danniel Zheng - Toronto, Canada

Mixed 8 (yellow ball): Mausia Toli - Wellington, Florida / Tonga│Lucas Gonzales - Melville, New York

Mixed 8 (green dot): Leah Davis - Columbia, South Carolina│Noah Jackson - New York, New York / England

Sportsmanship Award Recipients

Mia Fedus - Stará Ľubovňa, Slovakia

Ayaan Bangera - Farmington Hills, Michigan

Kindness Award Recipients

Mary Doak - Ottawa, Canada

David Llovera - Mexico City, Mexico

*Photo above is credited to David Kenas Photography. For more information, please click here to visit their website: www.dkshots.com.

The festivities began on Sunday, August 20 with a complimentary tennis clinic with drills and games for all players at the West Orange Tennis Club from 1:00-3:00pm. A Group Photo was taken at 3:15pm and the spectacular Opening Ceremony began at 4:00pm with the players parading onto the center court carrying their country flags. The national anthem was sung by Liz Kobak. Cindy Brinker Simmons, MCB President and daughter of Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly Brinker, was the Guest Speaker and she gave an inspirational message to the players and parents.

Matches began on Monday, August 21 and continued through Thursday, August 24. The winner of each division was crowned a "Little Mo" Internationals champion! For all draws and results, please visit: www.littlemonewjersey.com.

On Monday evening, a fun player party was held for all of our families at the Dave & Buster's near the West Orange Tennis Club from 6:00-8:00pm. There were many exciting activities for the players including virtual reality, videogames, arcade, dodgeball, and other games. We hope everyone enjoyed this special occasion as it was a great opportunity to meet other players from around the world!

A special thank you to our proud sponsors: Jersey Mike's Subs (Title Sponsor), Tennis Competitors of Dallas (TCD), and Wilson Sporting Goods ("Official Ball and Racquet"). We would also like to thank the West Orange Tennis Club (WOTC - Host Site), their staff for hosting our event, Mike Smookler (WOTC Club Manager & Tennis Director), Rick Workman (Tournament Director), Jake Bryan (Host Site Director), Fred Lipscomb (Referee) and the officials, Dave "The Koz" Kozlowski (Media Celebrity), Mari Workman, Karen Olson, Liz Kobak, and all of the volunteers who have donated their time and energy for our event. We appreciate their hard work and dedication to junior tennis!

2023 "Little Mo" Tournaments

We are looking forward to seeing all of our players again this year and welcoming new families for all of the fun, festivities, and memories on and off the tennis court! Thank you so much for your support of the "Little Mo" and a special thank you to our tournament sites, volunteers, and proud sponsors: Jersey Mike's Subs (Title Sponsor), Tennis Competitors of Dallas (TCD), RBC Wealth Management (RBC), Wilson Sporting Goods ("Official Ball and Racquet"), Lucky in Love Kids ("Official Apparel"), and Palm Beach County Sports Commission (PBCSC). The "Little Mo" is truly a "one of a kind" tournament for young tennis players held in honor of tennis legend Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly Brinker. These special events are focused on sportsmanship, character, new friendships, and competitive matches with approximately 2,000 youngsters from over 70 different countries competing annually. We hope you and your family will join us for one or more of our tournaments!

Registration is OPEN for our 17th Annual "Little Mo" Internationals in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida (December 1-6) - open to any player worldwide (ages 8-16)! Registration for all international tournaments will be on a first-come, first-served basis up to the entry limit - we will be accepting the first 30 players in Florida in each division. Be sure to register early as the draws typically fill before the registration deadline - some draws are very close to being full!

To register for a "Little Mo" tournament, please click on the "Register Now" button or scroll down to click on one of the events below:

All yellow ball results from the "Little Mo" tournaments (Regionals, Nationals, Internationals) will count towards your player's Universal Tennis Rating (UTR). *NEW IN 2023: All green dot results will count towards the new Universal Tennis Color Ball Rating (CBR). Also, just a friendly reminder that players must register in the proper age division according to their birth year for all "Little Mo" tournaments. This ensures that our players are competing against others who are born in the same calendar year (i.e., 8's play 8's, 9's play 9's). For example, if your player is turning 10 at any time this year (regardless of what age they will be at the time of the tournament), they will need to register in the 10's division.

Registration Deadline for Florida international tournament is around the corner!

Friday, November 3

We hope you and your family will plan on joining us for the 17th Annual "Little Mo" Internationals tournament in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida (December 1-6, 2023) - open to any player worldwide (ages 8-16)! To date, we have approximately 420 players registered from over 40 different countries and territories worldwide! The registration deadline is coming up in a few months on Friday, November 3 at 11:30pm (Central Time). Be sure to register early as the draws typically fill before the registration deadline! To register, please click here or click on the ad below.

It will not only be a fun, competitive tournament but a great destination for the family with many sights to see: Disney World, Epcot, Lion Country Safari, Sea World, DuBois Park, Peanut Island, The Gardens Mall, Mounts Botanical Garden, the beautiful Florida beaches, and more are all nearby!

26th Annual

"Road to the Little Mo Nationals"

The "Little Mo" began in 1976 as a local tournament for Dallas youngsters and later grew to include players from all over Texas. In 1998, it expanded nationwide and became known as the "Road to the Little Mo Nationals", one of the premier series of junior tournaments for boys and girls ages 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. The Road is now in its 26th year as a yearlong circuit of regional and national tournaments for players who reside in the USA and its territories. It is the only circuit of its kind for talented, high-performance boys and girls in the United States who compete against others born in the same year.

The Road begins in the spring and summer with the four "Little Mo" Regionals (North, South, East, West) held in different cities across the United States. Yellow (regular) ball divisions will be offered for boys and girls ages 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 in addition to a green dot option for ages 8, 9, and 10. The top four yellow ball players (semifinalists) in each age division from each "Little Mo" Regionals will advance to the prestigious "Little Mo" Nationals in Austin, Texas. These players will form a 16-size draw in each age division at the Nationals. The top 160 players who reach the Nationals are the youngest and brightest future stars in American tennis!

"Little Mo" East Regionals

Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

April 22-24, 2023

"Little Mo" South Regionals

Arlington Tennis Center

Arlington, Texas

May 27-29, 2023

"Little Mo" West Regionals

Berkeley Tennis Club

Berkeley, California

July 15-17, 2023

"Little Mo" North Regionals

Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning

Bronx, New York

September 3-5, 2023

26th Annual "Little Mo" Nationals

Presented by

RBC Wealth Management

Austin Tennis Academy

Austin, Texas

September 22-25, 2023

2023 "Little Mo" Internationals (CO, NJ, FL)

In 2006, MCB created the "Little Mo" Internationals for USA players to experience different styles of play and meet others from various countries and cultures from around the world. This flagship event was first held in Texas and it has evolved over the years into three different events in Colorado, New Jersey, and Florida. Today, the Internationals attract thousands of talented boys and girls (ages 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12) who travel from across the United States and worldwide to compete against others born in the same year. The "Big Mo" divisions have also been added in Colorado and Florida for ages 13, 14, 15, and 16. These unique tournaments are held at some of the most prominent and historic tennis clubs in the United States, which helps to create an unforgettable experience and enjoyable vacation for the entire family. There are also many fun tourist attractions and sights to see near our three international events such as Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, US Open, Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Broadway shows, Disney World, Epcot, and beautiful beaches.

This year, our host sites are the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado (June 30 - July 5), the West Orange Tennis Club in West Orange, New Jersey (August 20-24), and the Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida (December 1-6). In Colorado and Florida, yellow (regular) ball divisions will be offered for boys and girls ages 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 in addition to a green dot option for ages 8, 9, and 10. In New Jersey, yellow (regular) ball divisions will be offered for boys and girls ages 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 in addition to a green dot option for ages 8, 9, and 10. The "Big Mo" divisions (ages 13, 14, 15, and 16) will not be offered due to limited courts in New Jersey. All players will have an opportunity to participate in Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles in addition to many exciting and memorable activities such as the Player Clinic, Player Parade, Group Photo, Opening Ceremony, Player Gift Exchange, "Mo" Coins, Player Party, "Little Mo/Big Mo" Booth, and much more. Last year, the "Little Mo" Internationals in Florida featured over 600 players from 60 different countries!

IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION:

There is a lot of important information posted on each tournament's UTR homepage (where you will register for the event) including the Player Gift Exchange tradition, Player Referral Program, and much more. This information is located under "Description" on the "Overview" tab, and you will need to click on the "Read More" button in order to see all of the posted information. There is also a very important document uploaded as an attachment to each tournament's UTR homepage that includes our "Little Mo" Rules and Regulations, Code of Conduct, Tournament and COVID-19 Liability Waivers, and Health/Safety guidelines. Please take a moment to read through all of this information carefully before you start the registration process.



10th Annual "Little Mo" Internationals in Colorado

U.S. Air Force Academy

Colorado Springs, Colorado

June 30 - July 5, 2023

12th Annual "Little Mo" Internationals in New Jersey

West Orange Tennis Club

West Orange, New Jersey

August 20-24, 2023

17th Annual "Little Mo" Internationals in Florida

Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

December 1-6, 2023

Registration Deadline: Friday, November 3 at 11:30pm (Central Time)

"Little Mo" Internationals (Colorado, New Jersey, Florida)

Rules and Regulations

Welcome to the 2023 "Little Mo" Internationals (Colorado, New Jersey, Florida)! These tournaments are designed to provide outstanding competition at the international level while also encouraging players to develop new friendships, learn good sportsmanship, and most of all, have fun. The Internationals are the only tournaments of their kind for talented, high-performance boys and girls worldwide who compete against others born in the same year. Please read through the following rules and regulations carefully:

• Eligibility:  The three "Little Mo" Internationals will be held in Colorado, New Jersey, and Florida. The Internationals are open to any player worldwide (ages 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12). The "Big Mo" divisions have also been added in Colorado and Florida for ages 13, 14, 15, and 16. There are no special qualifications or ranking needed to register for the international tournaments - any player who registers will be accepted into the draw until the entry limit is reached. *Please note that players do not need to compete in one of the "Little Mo" Regionals or the "Little Mo" Nationals in order to participate in one of the "Little Mo" Internationals.

• Entry Limits:  Registration for the "Little Mo" Internationals will be on a first-come, first-served basis up to the entry limit - we will be using several different entry limits based on the tournament (see below). If a division reaches the entry limit before the registration deadline, a WAITING LIST will be established at that time. Be sure to register early as the draws typically fill before the registration deadline! *Please note that once you have received a confirmation email from UTR/Stripe, your player's entry has been accepted into the tournament and you can make your travel arrangements.
• Colorado:  Registration will be limited to the first 30 players in each division with 2 wildcards to be determined by MCB. All divisions will initially be limited to a 32-size draw (maximum), but it may be possible for some divisions to expand into a 64-size draw based on court capacity.
• New Jersey:  Registration will be limited to the first 14 players in each division with 2 wildcards to be determined by MCB. All divisions will initially be limited to a 16-size draw (maximum due to limited courts in New Jersey), but it may be possible for some divisions to expand into a 32-size draw based on court capacity.
• Florida:  Registration will be limited to the first 30 players in each division with 2 wildcards to be determined by MCB. All divisions will initially be limited to a 32-size draw (maximum), but it may be possible for some divisions to expand into a 64-size draw based on court capacity.

• Multiple Tournaments:  Players may compete in any "Little Mo" Internationals regardless of where they are currently living in the United States or worldwide. Players may also compete in as many international tournaments as they would like.

• Events / Guaranteed Matches:  The "Little Mo" Internationals will offer Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles events for all divisions. All players will be guaranteed at least two Singles matches during the international tournaments in addition to one Doubles match and one Mixed Doubles match (only if they are able to find a partner for each event).

• Age Eligibility / Registration by Birth Year:  Players must register in the proper age division according to their birth year. This ensures that our players are competing against others who are born in the same calendar year (i.e., a player born in 2013 must play in the 10's division since they will be turning 10 this year).
• Boys and Girls 16's ("Big Mo") - born in 2007
• Boys and Girls 15's ("Big Mo") - born in 2008
• Boys and Girls 14's ("Big Mo") - born in 2009
• Boys and Girls 13's ("Big Mo") - born in 2010
• Boys and Girls 12's - born in 2011
• Boys and Girls 11's - born in 2012
• Boys and Girls 10's - born in 2013
• Boys and Girls 9's - born in 2014
• Boys and Girls 8's - born in 2015 (Only players who are born in 2015 will be allowed to play in the 8's divisions. Players born in 2016 or 2017 will not be eligible).

• Divisions:  The "Little Mo" Internationals will be offering several different divisions based on the tournament:
• Colorado and Florida:  Yellow (regular) ball divisions will be offered for boys and girls ages 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 in addition to a green dot option for ages 8, 9, and 10. Players must register for only one division. This means that players competing in the 8's, 9's, and 10's divisions must choose to play with either the yellow (regular) ball or the green dot ball for their age group. Players in the 11's and 12's must play with the yellow (regular) ball. All divisions will be played on a full 78' tennis court with either the yellow (regular) ball or green dot ball.
• New Jersey:  Yellow (regular) ball divisions will be offered for boys and girls ages 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 in addition to a green dot option for ages 8, 9, and 10. The "Big Mo" divisions (ages 13, 14, 15, and 16) will not be offered due to limited courts in New Jersey. Players must register for only one division. This means that players competing in the 8's, 9's, and 10's divisions must choose to play with either the yellow (regular) ball or the green dot ball for their age group. Players in the 11's and 12's must play with the yellow (regular) ball. All divisions will be played on a full 78' tennis court with either the yellow (regular) ball or green dot ball.

• Draw Formats:  The "Little Mo" Internationals will be using several different draw formats based on the event type and draw size:
• Singles:  
• 32-size draw, 16-size draw or 8-size draw:  A First Match Losers Consolation format with a 3rd/4th Place playoff will be used. This means that any player who loses their first match in the First Round (Main Draw) will move into the Consolation bracket. Any player who has a bye in the First Round (Main Draw) and loses their first match in the Second Round (Main Draw) will also move into the Consolation bracket. The losers of the Semifinal Round (Main Draw) will move into a 3rd/4th Place playoff.
• 5 or less players:  A Round Robin format will be used.
• Doubles and Mixed Doubles:  A Single Elimination format will be used for all divisions regardless of draw size.

• Scoring Formats:  The "Little Mo" Internationals will be using several different scoring formats based on the event type:
• Singles:  All Singles matches (Main Draw and Consolation) will consist of two tiebreak sets (first to 6 games). At 6 games all, a 7-point set tiebreak (first to 7, win by 2) will be played. If players split sets, a 10-point match tiebreak (first to 10, win by 2) will be played in lieu of a third set. Regular scoring (with ad) will be used for all Main Draw matches and a 5-minute warm-up will be given before each match. *NEW IN 2023: No-ad scoring will be used for all Consolation matches in addition to the 3rd/4th Place playoff. *NEW IN 2023: A 2-minute rest period will be given between the first and second sets, and a 3-minute rest period will be given between the second set and match tiebreak. No coaching is allowed at any time. *Shortened scoring may be used in the case of rain. 
• Doubles and Mixed Doubles:  All Doubles and Mixed Doubles matches will consist of an 8-game pro set (first to 8 games). At 8 games all, a 7-point match tiebreak (first to 7, win by 2) will be played. Regular scoring (with ad) will be used for all matches and a 5-minute warm-up will be given before each match. No coaching is allowed at any time. *Shortened scoring may be used in the case of rain.

• Universal Tennis Rating (UTR):  All yellow ball results from the "Little Mo" Internationals (Colorado, New Jersey, Florida) will count towards your player's Universal Tennis Rating (UTR). *NEW IN 2023: All green dot results will also count towards the new Universal Tennis Color Ball Rating (CBR).

Travel Grants will be awarded to players who win their age division (yellow ball only) at all "Little Mo" Internationals!

We hope you will join us for our last remaining international tournament this year! Any "Little Mo" or "Big Mo" player who wins their yellow ball division in Florida will receive a special travel grant during the tournament - more details to be announced at the tournament!

These travel grants are sponsored by the Tennis Competitors of Dallas (TCD) and we are so thankful for their support of junior tennis!

Player Referral Program

$20 for each player referred!

Matias Moran helps promote the "Little Mo" by handing out flyers at tennis clubs!

We hope you will tell all of your friends about the "Little Mo" tournaments! As a special incentive for helping us spread the word, we would like to offer you an opportunity to receive $20 (per referral) from MCB if you are able to encourage a friend(s) to sign up. A custom question has been added to the tournament registration process whereby the referred player can type in your name on their entry form as having referred them. 

For every player you refer, you will receive $20 at the tournament. Only the names entered during the online registration process will count towards earning this prize. Also, any player who withdraws from the tournament will not count towards this prize.

In order to claim your referral prize, please stop by the "Little Mo/Big Mo" Booth during any "Little Mo" tournament this year. Referral prizes will only be awarded at the tournament and they may only be redeemed in the year they are earned. The more players you refer, the more you can earn! If you have any other questions about this special offer, or if you would like to help promote the "Little Mo" tournaments by distributing flyers to clubs in your area, please send an email to: carol@mcbtennis.org.

New Social Media Page!

Follow our new TikTok page for fun videos before, during, and after our "Little Mo" tournaments! Stay tuned for engaging videos for/from all of our players. Tag us in your TikToks during our tournaments for a chance to get featured!

Former "Little Mo" Champion Coco Gauff Wins Mubadala Citi DC Open and Western & Southern Open!

Congratulations to former "Little Mo" champion Coco Gauff (#6 WTA) on winning the 2023 Mubadala Citi DC Open at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Washington, D.C.! Gauff defeated Maria Sakkari in the finals (6-2, 6-3) making her the youngest women's champion in the tournament's history at age 19. It was also her very first career singles title in the United States!

"It means a lot to me really," Gauff said of reaching that milestone in Washington. "Any American tournament I think is special, but I feel like even more here. I have played Cincinnati and I have played other tournaments in the U.S., even last year in San Jose when this was in San Jose, but I think that there is just something about D.C." Click here for photo credits and the full article on the Mubadala Citi DC Open website.

Just two weeks later, Gauff won the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Cincinnati, Ohio! She defeated Karolina Muchova in the finals (6-3, 6-4) for her biggest career title so far!

"They've given me a lot of support, especially [against Swiatek]," Gauff said after the Cincinnati Open. "That's one of the loudest crowds I've played in front of in my career." Click here for photo credits and the full article on the Western & Southern Open website.

As a junior player, Gauff won the 2012 "Little Mo" Nationals in Austin, Texas and the Nesquik "Little Mo" Internationals in Forest Hills, New York as an 8-year-old! Later that same year, she was the Girls 8 Singles and Girls 8/9 Doubles champion at the "Little Mo" Internationals in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. In 2021, Gauff and her father were interviewed at the "Little Mo" East Regionals in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida! Gauff's younger brother Cameron was competing in the tournament and she came to support him. Please click on the videos above to watch Gauff's interview (Part #1 and Part #2).

We are so proud of her and glad that the "Little Mo" was such a memorable part of her tennis career - keep up the great work!

*Photo (left to right): Jon Vegosen - ITA Chairman of the Board, Cindy Brinker Simmons - MCB President and daughter of Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly Brinker, David Benjamin - ITA retired Executive Director, and Timothy Russell - ITA President and CEO.

MCB President Cindy Brinker Simmons Accepts the 2023 ITA David A Benjamin Achievement Award!

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is pleased to announce Cindy Brinker Simmons as the recipient of the most prestigious award in collegiate tennis, the ITA David A Benjamin Achievement Award, endowed by Margie and Stan Smith. Brinker Simmons was honored at a dinner during the ITA Leadership Awards Weekend presented by Limoneira, which took place at the Yale Club in New York City on August 26th. 

A graduate of the University of Virginia in 1979, where she lettered on the Virginia women's varsity tennis team and served as Captain her senior year, Brinker Simmons made the transition from the tennis courts to the world of public relations, founding her own company, Brinker Communications. In 2004, Brinker Communications merged with Levenson Public Relations to form Levenson & Brinker Public Relations, a full-service strategic communications company. Brinker Simmons would serve as the President of the Levenson & Brinker Public Relations firm until 2012 when she retired to pursue writing.

"College tennis develops championship human beings on and off the court," proclaimed ITA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Timothy Russell. "Cindy Brinker Simmons joins a distinguished list of college tennis players who have risen to the top of their respective professions, while offering public service to our country and beyond. In being named the 2023 ITA David A Benjamin Achievement Award laureate, Cindy takes her place amongst a very special group. We look forward to honoring her at this year's ITA Leadership Weekend Dinner." 

Each year since 1994, the ITA David A Benjamin Achievement Award has paid tribute to past participants in the world of varsity tennis who have achieved excellence in their chosen careers. The award honors both professional success and contributions to society made either as a result of a career or through humanitarian efforts. Endowed by Margie and Stan Smith in 2015, the ITA Achievement Award honors the long-serving Executive Director and ITA Chairman of the Board, Dr. David A Benjamin.

"The lessons learned on the tennis court during the college years serve as a critical companion to the academic lessons of higher education," noted ITA Chairman Emeritus, David A Benjamin. "The winners of the ITA Achievement Award are extraordinary individuals who benefited from the experience of intercollegiate competition, went on to outstanding accomplishments, and have made significant contributions to their communities. Cindy Brinker Simmons, our 2023 ITA Achievement Award Laureate, is a marvelous embodiment of this award."

Coinciding with her work in the field of public relations, Brinker Simmons began her work in the field of philanthropy after graduating from college, establishing Wipe Out Kids' Cancer (WOKC) which has since grown into one of Dallas' largest pediatric cancer non-profit organizations. Brinker Simmons established WOKC in memory of her mother, the late great tennis champion Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly Brinker, who died of cancer in 1969 at the age of 34.

Behind the success of her public relations firm and WOKC, Brinker Simmons was appointed by Texas Speaker Tom Craddick in 2008 to the Oversight Committee of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), a state agency designed to fund groundbreaking cancer grants and to bring top cancer specialists to the state. During her time serving on the CPRIT Oversight Committee, she helped manage over $3 billion in general obligation bonds that helped fund innovative cancer research as well as prevention programs and services throughout the state.

Outside of these efforts, Brinker Simmons also serves as the President of the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation (MCB), one of the most respected junior tennis organizations worldwide, while also serving on the boards of Dallas Theological Seminary and East-West Ministries International, Virginia Athletics Foundation at the University of Virginia, Greater Dallas Metroplex Salvation Army, North Texas Food Bank, and the International Tennis Hall of Fame to name a few. 



Brinker Simmons has been honored on numerous occasions for her contributions to the Dallas community, including the Dallas Tennis Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the Dallas Mother of the Year, and the Children's Hope Award from Orphan Outreach.



"I am deeply humbled and honored to be presented with the 2023 ITA David A Benjamin Achievement Award," said Cindy Brinker Simmons. "From my years in junior tennis through four remarkable years at the University of Virginia, this grand sport has taught me how to graciously deal with victory and loss, manage pressure, and treasure discipline and determination. Tennis has blessed me with such beautiful friendships. After my competitive tennis years, it has been a great joy to serve others through my business and philanthropic efforts. Again, I am deeply grateful for this most distinguished award."

Click here for photo credits and the full article on the ITA website.

About the ITA David A Benjamin Achievement Award

The ITA David A Benjamin Achievement Award pays tribute each year to past participants in the world of varsity tennis who have achieved excellence in their chosen careers. The spirit of the award honors both professional success and contributions to society, made either as a direct result of a career, or through humanitarian efforts. In 2015, Margie and Stan Smith endowed the ITA Achievement Award in honor of Benjamin.

About the ITA

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) is the governing body and coaches association of college tennis, both an advocate and an authority for the sport and its members. Comprised of 1,260 colleges and universities, 20,000 student-athletes, 1,700 varsity programs, 3,000 coaches, and 1,350 college tennis officials, the ITA empowers college tennis coaches at all levels to deliver vibrant tennis programs that are vital to their college communities and transformational to their student-athletes. Follow the 2023-24 college tennis season on the ITA website and ITA social channels on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.

Stay tuned for fun and exciting activities from the "Little Mo" Club! For more information on future giveaways and contests, please check out and follow the Instagram page: @littlemoclub! Also, be sure to fill out your player's profile so you can participate in all of the fun activities (for active members with a full profile only). Don't forget to add your picture so your friends can recognize you!

If you have any questions about the "Little Mo" Club or how to activate your account, please send an email to: info@littlemoclub.com. Thanks so much!

Would you like to be a Sponsor of the "Little Mo" Tournaments?

We are actively looking for sponsors for the 2023 "Little Mo" tournaments. If you are interested or you know someone who works for a company that would be interested in being a sponsor of our "Road to the Little Mo Nationals" circuit and/or the three "Little Mo" Internationals (Colorado, New Jersey, Florida), please send an email to: carol@mcbtennis.org. We will be happy to send a customized PowerPoint sponsorship proposal, which would include branding opportunities such as placing banners at various sites across the country, advertising in the player program and booklet, having your logo on the tournament t-shirts, and promoting your product(s) to our players, parents, and their families.

Do you have any Creative Ideas for the "Little Mo" Tournaments?

We are always trying to improve the "Little Mo" tournaments and create a fun and memorable experience for our players and their families. If you have a creative idea or suggestion for the "Little Mo" tournaments, please send an email to: carol@mcbtennis.org.

Would you like to help the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation?

Thank you so much for your support of the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation and the "Little Mo" tournaments! It is the mission of the Foundation to organize memorable tennis events for young players while also providing opportunities to develop their game, enjoy tennis, and learn good values such as character, sportsmanship, and kindness. The Foundation has promoted the development of junior tennis for over 55 years and continues to benefit countless numbers of boys and girls throughout the United States and worldwide. We greatly appreciate any donations so that we can continue to offer the "Little Mo" tournaments in honor of Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly Brinker.

If you are interested in making a donation, please click on the "Make A Donation" button above. All donations are tax-deductible as the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. We are also always looking for volunteers at the "Little Mo" tournaments so if you would like to earn community service hours or volunteer your time, please send an email to: carol@mcbtennis.org. We thank you for your kind consideration and wish you all the very best for a wonderful and memorable year!

If you were a "Little Mo" player and you have recently signed with a college tennis team or are currently playing college tennis, please email: carol@mcbtennis.org to be featured in our next newsletter.

A Special Thank You To Our Sponsors:

The "Little Mo" tournaments are hosted by MCB in memory of its tennis champion namesake, Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly Brinker. Born in San Diego, Maureen became the first woman to achieve the Grand Slam of tennis in 1953 by winning all four major championships (Australian, French, Wimbledon, and US Open) in the same year. She was well known for her powerful groundstrokes from the baseline, which earned her the famous nickname "Little Mo" - a comparison to the explosive firepower of the battleship USS Missouri, also known as "Big Mo". Only five players in the history of tennis have won the calendar Grand Slam, and Maureen is still the only American woman and the youngest at age 18 to have accomplished this magnificent feat. She won an amazing nine consecutive championship titles (three US, three Wimbledon, two French, one Australian) - undefeated in 50 matches.

Unfortunately, her spectacular career would be short-lived due to a horseback riding accident in 1954. While she could no longer compete at an elite level, Maureen's legacy as a legendary tennis star would continue through the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation (MCB). Founded in 1968 with her dear friend Nancy Jeffett, MCB's mission would be the promotion and support of junior tennis development worldwide. That same year, she was inducted into the prestigious International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. Sadly, Maureen lost her valiant battle with cancer the following year and passed away at the young age of 34. Although her tennis career only spanned three years, many premier sportswriters consider Maureen Connolly to be the finest of all female players for her achievements on and off the court. In 2019, she was honored by the United States Postal Service with her very own "Little Mo" Commemorative Forever Stamp.

Today, MCB continues to support the growth of junior tennis by organizing numerous "Little Mo" tournaments throughout the United States annually for talented boys and girls (ages 8-16). These events are designed to provide outstanding competition at the regional, national, and international level while also encouraging players to develop new friendships, learn good sportsmanship, and most of all, have fun. The "Little Mo" tournaments are also unique in that young players have the opportunity to gauge their ability against others born in the same year from around the world (i.e., 8's play 8's, 9's play 9's). MCB strives to empower young athletes by giving travel grants, "Mo" Coins for prizes, and also Sportsmanship and Kindness awards to deserving individuals in honor of Maureen's legacy. The Foundation also contributes financially to many notable programs including the National Junior Tennis League for inner-city youth and Invest In A Child for deaf and wheelchair tennis.

Over the years, many well-known collegiate players and famous tennis professionals have participated in the "Little Mo" tournaments including Andy Roddick, Taylor Fritz, Sebastian Korda, Emma Raducanu, Leylah Fernandez, Dominic Thiem, Belinda Bencic, Jenson Brooksby, Madison Keys, Tommy Paul, Brandon Nakashima, Vasek Pospisil, Borna Coric, Coco Gauff, Mackie McDonald, Ryan Harrison, Taylor Townsend, Donald Young, Steve Johnson, Sofia Kenin, Denis Kudla, CiCi Bellis, and Ana Konjuh among many others. Roddick won the "Little Mo" in 1992 (age 10) and he said, "the 'Little Mo' was my first big win!" Gauff won the "Little Mo" in 2012 (age 8) and she said, "the 'Little Mo' is where the belief began." This is all wonderful news for junior tennis and we are so proud that the "Little Mo" continues to be one of the most popular events for young players around the world.

MCB has promoted the development of junior tennis for over 55 years and continues to benefit countless numbers of young players worldwide. It is our mission to provide a special and meaningful experience at all of our events while also inspiring outstanding attributes at a young age such as fair play, good character, integrity, sportsmanship, kindness, giving back, and an "attitude of gratitude". Thousands of players compete in the "Little Mo" tournaments annually and we hope to see even more youngsters play this wonderful "sport for a lifetime". We would also very much appreciate your help in spreading the word about the "Little Mo" so we can continue to impact future generations of young players. The MCB Tennis Foundation is led by its directors: Cindy Brinker Simmons (President), Brenda Brinker Bottum (Vice President), and Elizabeth Jeffett (Vice President). Carol Weyman (Executive Vice President), Matthew Cody (Tournament Operations Manager), and Tiffany Hollebeck (Tournament Operations Coordinator) organize the "Little Mo" tournaments. Thank you so much for your support of the "Little Mo" tournaments and the legacy of Maureen Connolly Brinker. For more information about the "Little Mo", please visit our website at: www.mcbtennis.org and click on "Tournaments". Play "Mo" Tennis!