Last Friday evening the long-awaited grand opening of the new and improved Holt Tennis Court. Construction of the courts was underway this summer along with other renovations across the campus of Minnesota’s first University.
Alumni and former Hamline Tennis star Jeff Green and his family were the main donors behind rebuilding the courts. Green started off at Hamline in the fall of 1969 and just two years into his collegiate experience he founded a tennis company titled the Merchant of Tennis. He later founded a company named US Merchants in California where he has operated as the CEO to this day.
Ann Holt, the daughter of Darrel and Elizabeth Holt, who the courts are famously named after, has also played a big role in the redesign of the facility. The courts redevelopment was much needed as neither program was able to compete on campus due to the conditions.
The event featured many big faces across the institution, with President Kathleen Murray, Chaplain Kelly Figueroa-Ray and Athletic Director Alex Focke headlining a majority of the ceremony.
The Ceremony ended with a cutting of the ribbon and a first serve, similar to a first pitch at a baseball game and the attendees went on their way.
The revamp to the on campus site will be a big addition to the programs, especially in the future for recruiting purposes. The men’s team will play their first match on the court this upcoming Saturday on October 5 to face off against UW-Lacrosse. The women’s team on the other hand has held three matches on the new home turf, winning the first two against UW-Stout and UW-River Falls and then falling to Carelton 0–9 on Sept. 25.