Oct. 26, 2010
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - The UNLV men's tennis program will honor one of its former head coaches, the late Hall of Famer Dr. Larry Easley, by playing in the newly renamed Larry Easley Memorial Classic starting Friday on campus at the Fertitta Tennis Complex.
Current Rebel head coach Owen Hambrook, who was an assistant under Easley in 2000, said he thought it was a perfect time to honor the longest-tenured coach in UNLV history by changing the name of what was formerly was known as the Rebel Classic.
"With Larry being inducted into the UNLV Athletics Hall of Fame earlier this year, we wanted to recognize all he did in building UNLV into a nationally known tennis program," Hambrook said. "This is one small way for the memory of Dr. Easley to live on in the sport he loved so much."
Players from five other programs will be competing in the individual event, which will close out UNLV's fall tournament season. Opponents scheduled to send competitors are Arizona, Arkansas, Auburn, Boise State, Cal Poly and Northern Arizona.
The tournament kicks off at 9 a.m. PT Friday and will be made up of one flight of doubles and two flights of singles along with consolation play in both.
Easley, who passed away from illness in 2005 at the age of 57, coached the UNLV men's tennis team longer than anyone in history and produced sometimes-spectacular results over his dozen seasons from 1993-2002. Named conference coach of the year three times, he was also twice named Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regional Coach of the Year in 1998 and 2001. His all-time record of 141-120 included leading UNLV to three Big West Conference championships. Easley produced four of UNLV's five all-time men's All-Americans, including two individual national champions when Luke Smith won the NCAA singles championship and then teamed with Tim Blenkiron to capture the NCAA doubles title in 1997. Easley received his master's degree from UNLV in 1993 and then earned his doctorate from the school in 1998 where he later taught both undergraduate and graduate courses. In 1999 he served as chairman of the NCAA Men's and Women's Tennis Committee.
2010 LARRY EASLEY MEMORIAL CLASSIC SCHEDULEAt Fertitta Tennis Complex, Las Vegas
Friday, Oct. 29 - 9 a.m. PTFirst Round DoublesFirst Round SinglesQuarterfinal Singles
Saturday, Oct. 30 - 9 a.m. PTQuarterfinal DoublesSemifinal SinglesSemifinal Doubles
Sunday, Oct. 31 - TBDFinal SinglesFinal DoublesFinal Consolation Play (Tentative)
