USD Men's Tennis Coach Tom Hagedorn Passes Away

Celebration of Life to be held at USD on Wednesday, March 25th

USD men’s tennis coach Tom Hagedorn, who courageously battled leukemia the past 18 months, passed away peacefully early Saturday morning, March 21st, with his devoted wife, Melissa, and his sister, Sandy, at his side.  Hagedorn, 43, fought the good fight the past year-and-a-half with the same positive and competitive approach that he brought to the tennis courts.   

A Celebration of Life gathering for the Hagedorn family, USD athletics and friends is being planned for Wednesday, March 25th, beginning at 3:00 p.m. on the Eagan Plaza in front of the Jenny Craig Pavilion, followed immediately by a reception in the Warren Hospitality Suite upstairs in the JCP.  A similar gathering is being planned for Saturday March 28th, in Tucson, Arizona.  For those wishing to honor Tom with memorial gifts, his family suggests in lieu of flowers, making a donation in Tom’s name to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of San Diego, or to the USD Athletic Department.  

Tom came to USD for the 1996-97 school year and over his eleven seasons at the helm he combined for an overall record of 141-103.  He tallied ten straight winning campaigns and a program-best four straight NCAA Team appearances (2003-2006).

His 2006 squad finished 15-7 overall and ranked 37th in the nation.  In 2005 the Toreros finished 16-7 on the year and 39th in the country.  That same season junior Pierrick Ysern advanced all the way to the NCAA Division I singles championship and finished as the national runner-up.  Ysern was named an NCAA All-American and finished 26-7 overall in singles.  Both his NCAA tournament teams from 2004 (13-8) and 2003 (13-10) also ranked in the top-45 in the nation.  In 2002 his No. 1 doubles team of Juan Cerda and Jason Pongsrikul advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division I Doubles Championships.

Over the past year Hagedorn poured his heart and soul into volunteering with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society program in San Diego.  He spent countless hours talking to and teaching people about leukemia and how they could make a difference.  Last October 24, 2008 Tom was honored at the Light the Night event at Qualcomm Stadium as an honored hero.  Approximately 200 USD student-athletes, coaches and staff members joined Hagedorn on the 2-mile walk to celebrate and commemorate people who have been touched by cancer.

Hagedorn came to USD via the University of Arizona where he was assistant coach under Bill Wright beginning in 1988.  During his tenure the UA Wildcats advanced to the NCAA Tournament twice (1995, 1996), with the 1996 team finishing 18-10 and ranked No. 23 in the nation by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA).

Prior to joining the Arizona coaching staff, Hagedorn played four years on the Wildcat tennis team (1984-87).  As a player, he was ranked in the top-10 in the Southwest (1982, 1983).  He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Marketing.

Besides his coaching duties, Hagedorn has been a member of the U.S. Professional Tennis Association; has coached collegiate All-Americans and ATP Touring Professionals; and was director of the Bill Wright Tennis Camp in Vail, Colorado (1989-96).  Outside of tennis, Tom’s life centered around his loving wife Melissa, and their dog, Mo.
  
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