As Clancy Shields looked around LaNelle Robson Tennis Center on Saturday, he saw the university president, athletic director and men’s basketball head coach all looking on as Arizona men’s tennis play Clemson in second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Suresh Garimella, Desireé Reed-Francois and Tommy Lloyd were among the hundreds of spectators who crammed in to see Arizona punch its ticket to a fourth straight Sweet 16.
“It’s why the Tucson community is so special,” Shields said. “To see the figureheads
of this community out here supporting our program – Tommy, Desireé, the president. Everybody.”
The support of university leadership means extra this year, as athletic departments are eliminating sports like men’s and women’s tennis to save money in the shifting landscape of college athletics.
Just days before the NCAA Tournament, Arkansas announced it would cut its tennis programs even as the Razorbacks men’s team qualified for the postseason. North Dakota, Saint Louis and Gardner-Webb are among the other Division I schools to cut tennis.
Former tennis star Patrick McEnroe lamented the state of college tennis in a Wall Street Journal op-ed, focusing on the lack of young American players competing in the collegiate ranks.
College tennis may be in a state of crisis, but this past weekend in Tucson showed the UA is rallying the sport.
The Arizona pep band greeted fans who arrived in time to find shaded seats. There was a concession stand on site to offer lemonade and hot dogs.
Fans forked over $10 to enter the venue, bringing some dollars to what is usually labeled a non-revenue sport.
“The people care and are invested in what you’re doing,” Shields said. “Ten years ago when I took over at this job, I always hoped it would be something like this. I always felt that I want to coach at a place with an incredible community.
“And you see that on days like today. You’re in the right spot. This is right where you want to be, because of the community like this.”
Fans who didn’t get an opportunity to attend the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament will have another chance Saturday when Arizona hosts the Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. The No. 8 seed Wildcats are taking on No. 9 Oklahoma, who they lost to at the beginning of the season.
If Arizona wins, it’ll advance to the eight-team NCAA Championship after coming up short four of the last five years.
Shields expressed appreciation to the university for giving LaNelle the feel of a big-time setting, including thanking the facilities employee who prepared the venue for the first weekend.
“He’s been hanging banners, blowing the courts,” Shields said. I mean, you put 20 hours into our team just to be able to do this. You’re just as much a part of this win as any one of our guys.”
As Arizona gets prepared to host the biggest tennis match in school history this Saturday, Shields can take comfort that his decade-long quest has earned the backing of the school, from top to bottom.
