Hall of Fame
Bob Hansen is notably one of the most legendary coaches in the NCAA tennis world. Of UC Santa Cruz’s 25 NCAA National Championship titles in school history, Hansen was the mastermind behind 22 of them. Bob Hansen started the men's tennis club team at UC-Santa Cruz in 1977 before becoming an NCAA Division III program in 1980. During his 31 years at the helm of the Banana Slugs, UC Santa Cruz won seven NCAA Division III National Championships (1989, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2005, 2007, 2009) and three ITA Indoor titles. Additionally, the Banana Slugs earned National Runner Up finishes in 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, and 1993. During the 1990s, the Banana Slugs won 73 consecutive regular season matches against Division III opponents. He was declared Coach of the 1990s Decade for the Division by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Hansen coached five NCAA singles champions, 10 NCAA doubles champions, three ITA singles champs, six ITA doubles champs and 118 All-Americans. In 2005 and 2007, the Banana Slugs won the NCAA team, singles and doubles titles. To make things even more special, Hansen and the Banana Slugs won the triple crown in 2005 on their home courts as they were selected as the final site for the NCAA Division III Men’s Tennis National Championships. To add to his accolades, Hansen was named the ITA Coach of the Year four times. Hansen's seven NCAA Team Titles and 15 NCAA Singles/Doubles Championships stand as the winningest NCAA Division III Tennis program in history. Despite the trophies, championships, and countless awards, many regard Hansen for his dedication to developing his student-athletes far beyond the court. His leadership for his teams and players challenged them to grow as better people, not just better players and he loved to see his players change and grow and build chemistry while taking the steps to be successful and in all facets of life. With Hansen at the helm, the Banana Slugs have appeared in the Final Four 19 times, winning seven team titles, finishing as National Runner Up six times, while finishing third twice and fourth four times.
