Cal Women's Tennis Traditions
Although not formally established as a Division I inter-collegiate
program until the late 1970s, the University of California women's
tennis program traces its roots back to the early days of tennis
competition in the United States. The Golden Bear tradition of
excellence spans nearly the entire 20th century, as tennis greats from
eight-time Wimbledon champion Helen Wills Moody Roark (1923-25) to 1995
NCAA doubles semifinalists Pam Nelson and Keirsten Alley have graced the
California courts.
With fourteen NCAA tournament appearances since the inception of the
women's championships in 1982, Cal has built a solid national tennis
reputation, reaching at least the quarterfinal round in 12 team
championships and earning NCAA semifinal berths in 1985 and '94.
Cal women's tennis has garnered 40 All-American selections in 23
varsity seasons, the bulk of which came under head coach Jan Brogan, one
of the winningest coaches in national tennis history. In addition to
earning National Coach of the Year honors in 1990, Brogan has guided the
Bears to seven consecutive undefeated conference seasons (1981-86), 14
national Top 10 finishes and its only national team finals appearance at
the 1982 AIAW Championships.
California's players have also earned individual recognition as some
of the best the nation has to offer after qualifying for the last
12-consecutive NCAA singles and doubles tournaments. The Bears most
successful modern women's tennis player has been Lisa Albano, named
Cal's Tennis Athlete of the Decade for 1986-96. The only Cal woman ever
to reach the NCAA singles final, in 1991 Albano capped off an
outstanding collegiate career as a finalist for the prestigious national
Honda Award with her fourth consecutive singles All-American selection.
Last season, freshman Amanda Augustus continued that tradition, as
part of the first freshmen or qualifying doubles team in Intercollegiate
Tennis Association history to win the Riviera All-American Championship,
the second leg of the Collegiate Grand Slam. Augustus follows in the
footsteps of her predecessors, Alley and Nelson, who won the Riviera
doubles championship in 1993.
