College Commitment
Kowalski Soars with the Eagles
by James Hill, 17 June 2011
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Brian Kowalski will become a member of the Emory University Eagles tennis program when he enrolls at the Atlanta-area institution during the summer.
Emory, one of the most respected colleges in the world, does not offer athletics scholarships since it is a member of the NCAA Division III.
But Brian, from Tampa, Fla., will play for one of the most successful teams in NCAA history, as well as receiving a quality education.
"Emory is one of the best academic schools in the nation, and it is an honor to be accepted," said Brian, who plans to enter the physician's assistant program. "In my opinion, D III tennis is the best of both worlds, especially at Emory. You get great tennis competition, and you can attend a prestigious school."
Brian, ranked No. 22 in Florida, and 49th in the Southeast, was recruited by a number of NCAA Division I schools, including Boston University, Furman, and Fordham. He also considered Division III schools Case Western and the University of Chicago, before being accepted at Emory (all members of the University Athletic Association, or UAA).
Division III is the largest organization within the NCAA, with 447 members and 418,000 participants in all sports. According to the NCAA Web site: "Division III athletics provides a well-rounded collegiate experience... . and the opportunity to pursue the multitude of other co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities... "
Brian's new coach will be John Browning, who guided Emory to NCAA national championships in both 2003 and 2006. Coach Browning's teams have finished in the top five in national rankings on 12 occasions, including this year, when they reached the championship match before losing a 5-2 decision to Amherst. The Eagles have also won 10 UAA Championships under Coach Browning's tutelage.
