Devoted to tennis since she was 'net high,' Dr. Anne Pittman championed intercollegiate women's competition as a player, coach, educator, and national leader. In recognition of Pittman's work the International Tennis Hall of Fame honored her with its Special Educational Merit Award.

Pittman's pathbreaking work began in her undergraduate days at the University of Texas at Austin: she and her coach successfully sued to play intercollegiate mixed doubles. After receiving a B.S. degree in 1940 and an M.A. in 1945 Pittman went on to a distinguished teaching andn coaching career. She earned an Ed.D. from Stanford University in 1972.

In 1954 when Pittman began her 30-year tenure as coach at Arizona State University, intercollegiate competition for her team was virtually nonexistent. Undaunted, she tirelessly created, promoted and directed tournament play and led ASU to national championships in 1971, 1972 and 1974. In 1973 she coached the U.S. Women's Tennis Team at the World University Games in Moscow.

An inspiration for colleagues as well as students, Pittman founded the Women's Collegiate Tennis Coaches Association in 1973. Among her many awards she was named NCAA Division I Women's Coach of the Year in 1984 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Coaches Association. At her retirement from ASU in 1986 as professor emeritus, Pittman had compiled a 446-114 lifetime coaching record.

Dr. Pittman died from a massive stroke at her home on Nov. 25, 2008. She had just spent 10 days in Hilton Head playing golf, and had also just celebrated her 90th birthday with friends at Arizona State.

Coached Arizona State University women's team to 3 national championships 1971, 1972, 1974

Founder, Women's Collegiate Tennis Coaches Association 1974

Coached student Pam Richmond, national intercollegiate singles champion 1971

Coached students Pam Richmond and Peggy Michel, national intercollegiate doubles champions 1971, 1972

Coached student Peggy Michel, Wimbedon doubles champion with Evonne Goolagong 1974

Coach of U.S. Women's Tennis Team at the 1973 World University Games in Moscow (bronze medal in doubles, fourth place in singles)

Director, Women's National Collegiate Tennis Championships 1977, 1981

Founder, Western Regional Women's Collegiate Tennis Matches 1974

Lady Champion's Women's Tennis Coach of the Year 1975

USTA Tennis Educational Merit Award 1977

USTA National Service Award 1983

NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Coach of the Year 1984

Author, Tennis

U.S.Senior Olympics Doubles Champion 1989, 1991

Lifetime coaching record 446-114