David Porter, ’75, tennis coach at BYU-Hawaii, is the first coach in history to win both men’s and women’s national championships in one season.
By Jeffrey G. Mulcock, ‘03
SINCE taking over the women’s tennis program at BYU—Hawaii in 1992, David T. Porter, ’75, can still count the team’s losses with his fingers and toes. And this year Porter, who has coached the men’s team since 1984, added to his impressive list of championships and awards by leading both teams to the 2002 NCAA Division II titles, becoming the first coach in history to win both the men’s and women’s tennis championships in the same season.
Is Porter’s success just luck? Not likely. In only his third season with the women’s team, he led the Seasiders to the first undefeated season (27-0) in any sport in BYU—Hawaii history. The women continued the trend, earning a top-five finish nationally every year for the next six seasons and winning the national championship in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2000. This year’s title is the first national championship for the men’s team. “There is not much time for emotion during the competition, but it sure was a relief to see the guys come out on top,” Porter says.
His players are not the only ones to receive accolades. In 1995 Porter was awarded his first National Coach of the Year Award. By 1998 he had received the honor four times. He has also been named district or regional coach of the year, or both, 15 times.
“This is not something that just occurred this year,” says Scott Lowe, sports information director at BYU—Hawaii. “David worked a long time to develop this program into something remarkable.”
After serving a mission to New England, Porter graduated from BYU in 1975 with an emphasis in physical education. He later earned a master’s degree from BYU and a doctorate from the University of Hawaii.
As a former collegiate basketball and tennis player, Porter was hired as an assistant men’s basketball coach at BYU—Hawaii in 1982. He became head coach of the men’s tennis program in 1984 and has since compiled a record of 386 wins and 88 losses. Eight years later he was put in charge of the women’s program and began to achieve impressive results, including 132 wins and 1 loss in the last four years.
“In some ways it is difficult for me to have the energy and time to devote to the individual players with all the talent they have and the desire they have to improve their game,” says Porter. “But in some ways it is easier because they have supported each other, practiced together, and helped each other develop an esprit de corps of the program.”
Porter is not only involved at his home court, but he is active with tennis on a national and international level as well. As vice president of the U.S. Professional Tennis Association, he is a popular speaker and has traveled around the world. For Porter, that international experience is an essential part of his work as a coach; his teams have included players from many countries.
“I believe that we have athletics to further the mission of the Church and expose young men and women who may not be members to gospel principles,” Porter says. “We continue to represent the Church, and our players take that influence back to their countries.”
