University of Minnesota Athletics
Noyce Earns Induction to Intercollegiate Tennis Hall of Fame
5/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
Longtime University of Minnesota men's tennis coach Jerry Noyce will be inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Hall of Fame on Wed., May 21 in Tulsa, Okla.
Noyce, who coached the Golden Gophers for 15 seasons from 1974-88, is one of nine individuals in this year’s class. Noyce is the only coach in the class, which includes seven players and a longtime contributor.
The players slated for this year’s enshrinement are Steve Denton of Texas, David DiLucia of Notre Dame, Donald Johnson of North Carolina, Patrick McEnroe of Stanford, Jim Pugh of UCLA, Robbie Weiss of Pepperdine and Chris Woodruff of Tennessee. Tom Jacobs is being inducted for his longtime contributions while at the NCAA.
Players are eligible for election to the ITA Hall of Fame 15 years after their last collegiate match and coaches are eligible following retirement. The main criteria for election are collegiate accomplishments as well as honors earned after college. College tennis legend Dan Magill serves as curator for the ITA Hall of Fame, which is housed at the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga. The inductions are being held in Tulsa in conjunction with the NCAA championships, which conclude on Tuesday.
Noyce compiled a 260-132 record (.663 winning pct.) in his 15 seasons at Minnesota. He led the Gophers to Big Ten championships in 1981, 1984 and 1986. Noyce also guided teams to NCAA quarterfinal appearances in 1984 and 1986. He was named the 1986 NCAA Division I coach of the year after his squad had the best record in school history with a 27-4 overall mark and 13-0 conference record. He coached 13 Big Ten singles champions and 30 all-Big Ten selections.
Noyce also played for the Gophers from 1964-67 and was a three-time team Most Valuable Player. He is the first representative from Minnesota tennis to earn a spot in the ITA Men’s Tennis Hall of Fame.
The ITA Men’s Tennis Hall of Fame, which includes over 1,800 rare photos, inducted its first class in 1983 and has inducted more than 160 players, coaches and contributors since then. Members include the late Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and Stan Smith. The ITA Women's Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame is located at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va.
