RICHMOND, Va. – UCLA women’s tennis associate head coach Rance Brown was named Tuesday to the 2026 Black Tennis Hall of Fame induction class. The induction ceremony will take place Dec. 12 at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture in Richmond, Va.

Brown will be inducted in three categories: Pioneer, Contributor and Regional Legend. The Black Tennis Hall of Fame was founded in 2007 to honor the achievements of those individuals who achieved success in tennis and life in spite of the many barriers that they faced, as well as those who helped them achieve those successes. Among its members are Dr. Walter Johnson, Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe, who are depicted in the Hall of Fame’s logo.

Brown is entering his 30th season with the Bruins. In each of his 28 completed campaigns on the staffs of Bill Zaima and Stella Sampras Webster, UCLA has earned a berth in the NCAA tournament. Brown helped the program earn its first two NCAA Championships, in 2008 and 2014, and has also helped guide four teams to runner-up finishes. He has been named the ITA Southwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year five times and went on to win the national award in 2000 and 2012.

“To be thought of in the same company as these icons is incredibly humbling,” said Brown. “So many of them have blazed trails for me to follow over my own career, with Arthur Ashe providing perhaps the clearest blueprint. On and off the court, his legacy to many can be summed up in four words: integrity, dignity, grace and class. These virtues have repeated over and over in my head through the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in this game. Thank you to Arthur for setting this example, as well as the Black Tennis Hall of Fame, Craig Nobles and the countless others who made my selection possible.”

A total of 36 student-athletes have garnered 68 All-America honors during Brown’s tenure. He was also instrumental in the development of 1995 NCAA singles champion and UCLA Athletic Hall of Famer Keri Phebus, whose feat was matched by Bruin Tian Fangran with Brown on her court in 2023. Three NCAA doubles titles have also been won by Brown-coached pairs.

MORE ABOUT THE BLACK TENNIS HALL OF FAME
The Black Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to preserving the history of Black tennis and honoring those who made a global impact on the ideals of sportsmanship and human rights, with special consideration extended to those who overcame racial barriers.  Through the preservation of this history and commemoration of the rich legacies of these individuals, the education of tennis is elevated, thus empowering and inspiring individuals worldwide to meet the challenges of these concerns.