George Toley (2003) - USC Athletics Hall of Fame

George Toley

Induction:
2003
Class:
1942

George Toley was one of the premier tennis coaches in collegiate history. He led USC to 10 NCAA team championships during his 27-year reign (1954-80) as the men’s tennis coach. Nine of his players won the NCAA singles crown and 12 Trojan duos captured the NCAA doubles title. His teams won 82% of their dual matches (430-92-4). A number of his pupils went on to win Grand Slam events and several were ranked No. 1 in the world. He was the ITA National Coach of the Year in 1978. He is a member of the Intercollegiate Tennis Hall of Fame and Southern California Tennis Hall of Fame. Known as the “Father of Tennis” in Mexico because of his efforts to develop the sport in that country, he coached Mexico in the Davis Cup, recruited some of the nation’s finest players for his Trojan teams (including Rafael Osuna and Raul Ramirez) and held an annual summer tennis camp in Ensenada for youngsters. He was nationally ranked while playing tennis at USC in 1940 and 1941. He then was a teaching pro at the Beverly Hills Tennis Club in 1941 before becoming the head pro at the Los Angeles Tennis Club in 1947 (a position he held until 1972). He died on March 1, 2008, at age 91.