From NCAA Division 1 to Essex - Balancing Finance and High-Performance Tennis

Transitioning from the NCAA Division 1 system to postgraduate study in the UK is a big step. For one of our US postgraduate tennis scholars, the University of Essex offered the ideal environment. Here, he shares his experience of life as a Performance Sport athlete at Essex and how the programme supports ambitious student-athletes to succeed.

Introducing ... Maxwell Acri

Image credit @emilygrace.ph

I chose the University of Essex because…

…it offered the chance to study Finance at a strong business school while continuing to compete at a high level in tennis through their Performance Sport programme. Coming from the US collegiate system, that balance was really important to me, and Essex stood out for how well it supports student-athletes.

Studying Finance at Essex Business School…

… has been challenging but rewarding. The course has helped me build strong analytical skills while balancing training and competition on the tennis scholarship. Managing the academic workload alongside a high-performance training environment has pushed me to develop better organisation and discipline, to grow both academically and athletically.

Competing in BUCS and developing my game

Highlights for me have been competing in BUCS matches with the team and seeing progress in my game. Being part of the tennis programme has been a rewarding experience, allowing me to continue developing as an athlete while representing the University of Essex in competition.

Life as an international student

Being away from home was an adjustment at first, but it’s been a great opportunity for personal growth, independence, and meeting people from different backgrounds. Living and studying in the UK has helped me adapt to new environments and gain valuable life experience alongside my academic and sporting commitments.

Essex has been an important part of my overall development, allowing me to pursue my academic goals while continuing to compete seriously in tennis. The combination of Finance at Essex Business School and Performance Sport tennis has given me the balance I was looking for when moving from the US collegiate system.

Discover how our Performance Sport programme at Essex can support your overall development.

Follow our student athletes’ journey on Instagram @uniessexperform

Sports scholarships and bursaries

We are committed to supporting and developing high performance athletes. Find out whether you could be eligible for a sports scholarship or bursary, plus a range of additional benefits too when you join the University of Essex.