Scholarship set up in memory of US skydiving victim

American tennis coach Tyler Nii was one of the "great young tennis professionals", his employer Michael Jessup said. A scholarship will remember the 27-year-old. Photo / supplied

A tennis scholarship has been set up in the name of an American man who went missing in Lake Wakatipu after a skydiving accident in January.

Tyler Nii, 27, is presumed to have drowned after he and his skydiving instructor plunged into the Queenstown lake in a tandem skydiving jump that went horribly wrong on January 10.

The instructor was plucked from the lake alive but Nii, who had been travelling New Zealand alone before the jump, hasn't been seen since.

Player Capital Tennis, where Nii had been a coach, has set up the Tyler Nii High School Tennis Award with the United States Tennis Association.

Born and raised in San Jose, Nii had become one of the "great young tennis industry professionals in the Bay Area", Player Capital Tennis owner and director Michael Jessup said.

"Since that fateful day, we have cried, we have mourned, and we have laughed at the memories of our dear friend Tyler.

"Now we accept this most important responsibility, that of keeping Tyler's name embedded in the tennis community for decades to come."

The scholarship will be given to one male and one female high school tennis player.

Nii had been a high school tennis coach and taught professionals alike.

Jessup said the "ambitious" goal was to raise $100,000 by February 15, 2018.

"We know we can do this. We owe this to our friend Tyler and to the students and members of the community he touched."

In a note, Nii's mum Nancy and his family said they felt "proud and honoured" by the scholarship.

"It is such a tribute to know that Tyler's love for the sport of tennis and all whom he coached will live on through this tremendous scholarship and his memory carried by those who earn this award.

"We are equally proud to know it will be awarded to students with outstanding dedication and commitment to high school tennis, as Tyler truly adored coaching at Mitty High School."

In place of flowers the family is requesting people contribute to the scholarship at this link.

A memorial service for Nii is being held in San Jose at the Buddhist Church Betsuin.

The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) is investigating the skydiving accident involving Queenstown skydiving company NZONE.