NEW CHAPTER PRESS, May 11, 2018
“Trojan Tennis: A History of the Storied Men’s Tennis Program at the University of Southern California” by USC men’s tennis historian and Marshall School of Business professor S. Mark Young, the first-ever book about a college tennis program, is now available for sale and download in advance of the 2018 NCAA Tennis Championships.
Published by New Chapter Press, “Trojan Tennis” documents the most successful college tennis program, dating from 1899 through the end of the 2016-17 season. USC tennis legends Stan Smith and Stevie Johnson both contributed forewords to the hardcover book that features interviews with many of the program’s greatest players also including Alex Olmedo, Dennis Ralston, Bob Lutz, Rick Leach, Luke Jensen as well as legendary coaches George Toley, Dick Leach and Peter Smith. While the progress of the team is central, readers will be fascinated by the biographical details of the key figures in each time period, which are enhanced by extensive footnotes drawing from archival materials, including personal letters, scrapbooks, published news stories, and original interviews.
The book is available where books are sold for $27.95, including here on Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559823/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_Uwj6AbAFSMSJN
“We are so lucky Dr. Mark Young found us,” said Peter Smith, the USC men’s tennis coach. “He had a dream to write the story of the USC men’s tennis team. Little did any of us know what a the grand that lay ahead of him. Mark looked into every detail and every character – the story is a great read. He is the perfect person to tell our story and we can’t wait to share it with the world.”
Said former USC coach Dick Leach, “This book on the history of USC tennis is a very heavily researched endeavor by Professor Mark Young who poured through many archives and interviewed scores of Trojans. The result is a truly comprehensive volume about the legacy of USC tennis. Mark has played competitive tennis all of his life and knows the game. I am very glad that he has written this great book so that all of these memories can be forever preserved.”
Said International Tennis Hall of Famer and former Trojan Dennis Ralston, “Even though it has been many years, I still follow SC tennis. Every time the Trojans play the Bruins, I am transported back to the days of our great rivalry. Mark Young’s book brings back so many wonderful memories and I will always treasure my time as a Trojan at USC.”
Said Bob Lutz, former NCAA singles and doubles champion for USC, “Many of my best tennis memories occurred while I was playing for USC under Coach George Toley. I was very proud to be on teams that would be the first to win four consecutive NCAA Team Championships. My contribution to the history of USC tennis, though, is just part of a much larger story and thanks to Mark Young’s Trojan Tennis, the entire history has now been captured I highly recommend this book.”
Said two-time U.S. Open champion Tracy Austin, whose son Brandon plays for USC, “Trojan Tennis is the only comprehensive book about college tennis. As someone who has been a life-long devotee to tennis, I was only aware of parts of SC tennis history. I am so glad that Mark Young has been able to capture recollections of so many luminaries of the sport. The book is a fun read with amazing photos and I know tennis and sports fans everywhere will thoroughly enjoy it.”
S. Mark Young, Ph.D. holds the George Bozanic and Holman G. Hurt Chair in Sports and Entertainment Business at the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California. He is the official historian of the USC Men’s Tennis Team, and chairs the university’s Oversight Committee on Athletic Academic Affairs, an organization that reviews and suggests policies and procedures to facilitate the academic progress of all student athletes at USC. A former Division III collegiate player, Young captained the tennis team at Oberlin College in Ohio in the mid-1970s.
