Former ACU tennis coach and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Dr. Dwain Hart was honored for his years of service to the university with an endowment in his name.

The Hart Tennis Endowment Fund was created by a donation from an unnamed former tennis player. The fund must meet a few requirements before becoming official but Hart is excited about the prospect of an endowment.

“It’s just the beginning of the program,” said Hart. “He just wanted to start something in my honor. It it phenomenal.”

Hart found out about the honor during a reunion of former players at the Abilene Country Club. The event was put on by Dr. Dickie Hill, professor of kinesiology and nutrition, and Hutton Jones, current ACU tennis coach, and featured letters from players, a tribute video and served as a celebration of Hart’s 80th birthday.

After arriving at ACU in 1955, Hart served as men’s tennis coach from 1956-1971 and had an overall record of 168-101-5. He became the first chair for the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation in 1960. From 1971-1979, Hart also served as the women’s athletic director.

However, Hart’s service to the university continued through many roles outside of athletics.

He was appointed dean of the College of Professional Studies in 1982 and later served as vice president of academic affairs as well as provost.

His daughter, Dr. Kerri Hart, is one of three program directors for the Student Recreation and Wellness Center. Besides being influenced in her career choices, Kerri also learned her love for tennis from her father.

“I have played tennis since I was a kid,” she said. “He has had a great influence. I wrote my dissertation on tennis. I think because of his influence it has just been a continual theme that I have been interested in.”

Along with their shared careers and interests, the father and daughter have also shared a similar planning role on campus.
“The neat connection is that the role he had in getting to plan Moody and Gibson, I got to have with the new Rec Center,” Kerri said.

She attributes much of her inspiration to her father and is proud of the distinction he has earned.

“It means an awful lot,” she said. “He put 56 years of his life into the university. It is a great honor.”

Dwain Hart retired in 1997 and continued to work part time as a university liason before fully retiring last August.

“I enjoyed life,” Dwain said. “It was a fun thing to get to work with people. That’s really what it’s all about: helping people.”