Tennis became a minor sport in 1920 with Bennet T. Sims as the first varsity tennis coach.
The records of some of the early teams are:
1922: 6-1
1923: 5-1
1924: 3-2
1925: 3-3
The 1937 team won the Northern Division Championship. Claude Hockley won the singles title and teamed with John Gallagher to win the doubles championship. In 1938, Bill McKalip became coach.
Bill was followed by Irwin Harris who coached for 20 seasons, retiring after the 1964 season. He compiled a record of 154 victories in 207 matches and his teams posted a 30 – 7 mark against top rival Oregon. See picture
Don Megale, one of Harris’s former players, took over in 1965 and coached for 5 year seasons and was followed by Paul Valenti who held the position until tennis was eliminated from the athletic program in 1976 because of budget problems and the poor condition of the courts with no funds to repair them.
Document Source: Irwin Harris, November 2001
Note: Tennis became an intercollegiate sport for OSU women in the mid 1970’s but was eliminated in 1984. The 1982 team took second place at the conference regional tournament. Coaches were Patty Nevue (1978 – 1982) and Don Megale (1983- 1984)
Related Article: The Oregon State University Tennis Team – A Photographic History of Oregon State University
Other Information: List of tennis letter winners at Oregon State including the years played.
| Prominent Players |
| Gordon Bryneldson |
| John Gallagher |
| Claude Hockley |
| Jim Jackson |
| Jim Kuenzli |
| Roger McKee |
| Don Megale |
| Norm Merrill |
| Wayne Pickard |
| Jerry Syderhoud |