ITA Women's Hall of Fame
McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center

Frank X. Brennan Jr.

 


Receiving the 2001 USTA/International Tennis Hall of Fame Educational Merit Award

 

With an astounding 21-year record of 510 wins and only 50 losses, Stanford University coach Frank X. Brennan Jr. (b. 1942) established a hallmark in women’s collegiate tennis that may never be surpassed. Raised in New Jersey, Brennan was introduced to tennis by his father, Frank Sr., who coached the young Billie Jean King. After attending Indiana University, where he played on the men’s tennis team, Brennan founded one the nation’s first summer tennis camps. He began his career at Stanford in the 1979-80 academic year.

Twice recognized by the ITA as Coach of the Decade, Brennan developed some of the finest collegiate and future professional players in the country, including nine NCAA singles champions. His Cardinal teams won a record six consecutive national champion-ships, and 10 national titles overall. Universally admired for his unwavering ethical standards, Brennan has served as a model for collegiate coaches nationwide. Since his retirement in 2000, his legacy has lived on in the coaching careers of many of his former players, as well as with his son Frank Brennan III, who followed in his father’s great footsteps.

 

Career Highlights

 

Career 510-50 (.911) win-loss record  as University’s women’s tennis coach 1979 2000

NCAA record 10 intercollegiate national team championships 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1997, 1999

NCAA record 22 combined team, singles and doubles national championships

NCAA record 6 consecutive intercollegiate national championships 1986-91

NCAA record 65 tournament match wins

Reached NCAA Final Four 18 times in 19 years

4 undefeated seasons 1982 (20-0), 1984 (26-0), 1989 (29-0), 1990 (29-0)

13 consecutive Pac-10 Southern Division team championships 1988-2000

Coached 9 NCAA national singles champions: Alycia Moulton 1982, Linda Gates 1985, Patty Fendick 1986-7, Sandra Birch 1989, Debbie Graham 1990, Sandra Birch 1991, Lilia Osterloh 1997, Laura Granville 2000 (also won in 2001)

Coached 1 AIAW national doubles championship team: Alycia Moulton and
Caryn Copeland 1981; 3 NCAA national championship teams: Elise Burgin
and Linda Gates 1984, Leigh Ann Eldredge and Linda Gates 1985, Meredith McGrath and Teri Whitlinger 1990

Coached 40 players to 94 All-America honors; 22 players to 45 All-Pac-10 honors

10-time Conference Coach of the Year

6-time USPTA Northern California Coach of the Year

USPTA Coach of the Year 1985, 1987

ITA/Wilson Intercollegiate Coach of the Year 1982, 1987, 1988, 1989

ITA/Wilson Intercollegiate Coach of the Decade 1989, 2000

NCAA Coach of the Decade 1991

11-year member, Intercollegiate Coaches Operating Committee

Inducted into the NorCal Tennis Hall of Fame 1994

Inducted into the Stanford University Athletic Hall of Fame 2001

USTA/International Tennis Hall of Fame Educational Merit Award 2001


Celebrating victory in 1986, the first year of a record six straight national titles


Among many collegiate standouts, Brennan coached 2-time NCAA singles champion Patty Fendick-McCain. In 2006, she was named Most Outstanding Student-Athlete in 25 years of NCAA women’s tennis competition


The 1999 NCAA championships, where Brennan won his 10th and final
NCAA national title


Brennan (r) with Stanford men's tennis coach Dick Gould. They each received ITA Coach of the Decade accolades for the 1980s and the 1990s


See the Brennan Panel in the Hall of Fame

 

Return to Alphabetical List of Inductees

Return to Site Directory

Home

Site Directory

 History

Inductees

ITA & Links

Events

Memberships 

Patrons

Virtual Tour

Contact Us