Daniel Allen Penick
September 7, 1869 - November 8, 1964
Wilmer Lee Allison
December 8, 1904 - April 20, 1977
Daniel Allen Penick, who earned the nickname Mr. Tennis, began his coaching career as a volunteer coach for the Texas tennis program in 1908. As Texas coach for 45 years, his Longhorn teams won every Southwest Conference title before 1957, five national doubles crowns and two national singles championships. He was president of the Southwest Conference for 13 years and president of the Texas Tennis Association for more than 50 years. In addition, he was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the Longhorn Hall of Honor. Dr. Penick was a graduate of UT, who returned to his alma mater in 1899 as an instructor of Latin and Greek. He served as professor of Classical Languages and as assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 1928 to 1940.
Wilmer L. Allison, a UT student from 1925 to 1929, was regarded as Dr. Penick's leading prodigy, winning the 1927 NCAA and SWC individual titles. He left The University before graduation to pursue a career as an amateur player. He became an internationally known tennis star of the 1930s, capturing many titles including Wimbleton Doubles Champion in 1929 and 1930. He also participated in Davis Cup play, including serving as captain on the 1933-1936 U.S. teams. In 1938, Allison returned to The University as an assistant tennis coach and became head coach of the Longhorns in 1957, leading his teams to four SWC titles, as well as three singles and one double titles in 15 seasons. Today, Allison is immortalized in the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association Hall of Fame, the Helms Foundation Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the Longhorn Hall of Honor.
Photo courtesy of:
Prints and Photographs Collection
Center for American History
The University of Texas at Austin
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Penick-Allison Tennis Center
The original Penick-Allison Tennis Center was located on the site now occupied by the Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletics Center, immediately south of Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium. The original site consisted of only five courts which were used exclusively by Intercollegiate Athletics.
When the decision was made to build the Athletics Center, plans were made to rebuild the tennis complex farther south. Final plans for the facility were approved by the Board of Regents in early 1984, and the facility reopened in the Spring of 1986 on the south end of campus on Trinity Street across from Waterloo Park. Considered one of the finest collegiate tennis facilities in the country, the complex features 12 tournament-quality competition courts with lighting for night play, lockers and showers, and more than 1,800 stadium seats. In 1988, the tennis center was named the outstanding tennis facility in the nation by the U.S. Tennis Association. Throughout the years, the center has hosted many important championship tournaments, including the 1986 NCAA Women's Tennis Championships, and the Big 12 Championships in 1997.
The complex was named for Dr. Daniel A. Penick, Texas coach for 45 years who was often regarded as one of the greatest coaches of the game, and Wilmer L. Allison, former Longhorn standout of the 1920s who went on to an illustrious professional career, including victories at Wimbledon, competing on the U.S. Davis Cup team and noted Hall of Famer.
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