Glenn Bassett

Who is Glenn Bassett?

Glenn Bassett was an American tennis player in the mid-20th century who later would be one of the most successful college tennis coaches of all time.

Bassett was the co-captain of the University of California at Los Angeles tennis team that won the NCAA championship 1950. Also that year, he won the singles title at the Cincinnati Masters, defeating Ham Richardson, 6–2, 4–6, 6–1, 6–1 in the final.

Bassett graduated from UCLA in 1951, and would go on to coach the UCLA tennis team for 27 seasons. At UCLA, he compiled a record of 592-92-2, winning 13 conference championships, seven NCAA team championships and producing three NCAA singles champions, four NCAA doubles team champions and 49 All-Americans.

Bassett is the only person in NCAA history to win an NCAA tennis title as a player, assistant coach and head coach. While at UCLA, he has worked with some of tennis’ most recognized players, including national champions Arthur Ashe, Ian Crookenden, Billy Martin and Jimmy Connors, and 1992 Olympian Mark Knowles.

After leaving the Bruins, he became a volunteer coach at Pepperdine in 1994 and 1995 and assumed the head coaching position in 1996, leading Pepperdine to a 22–7 season.