The University of Mary Washington Board of Visitors passed a resolution on Friday to name the University’s outdoor tennis complex after retired long-time Director of Athletics and Women’s Tennis Coach Dr. Edward Hegmann. The facility will be named the Edward Hegmann II Tennis Complex.

“It’s a tremendous honor to have a facility named after me”, said Hegmann on Friday. “It’s very appropriate and fitting that this would come from the Board of Visitors, because without their help over the years, we wouldn’t have the tennis facility, or anything else we have.”

During his 36-year tenure, Hegmann built UMW Athletics into one of the nation’s top Division III programs and leaves a lasting impression as one of the most influential people in the 100 year-plus history of the school.

“We’re very pleased to name the outdoor tennis complex in honor of Ed Hegmann for his many contributions to the University of Mary Washington”, said Director of Athletics Ken Tyler. “ As the architect of the athletic program and an incredibly successful tennis coach, Ed left a lasting legacy at UMW.” 

From 1976 to 2012, he oversaw the expansion of the athletics program that grew from six sports to 23. He acted as a major catalyst in the development of the facilities at UMW and watched 22 of the school’s 23 programs advance to national championship competition.

Hegmann also directed the women’s tennis team for 23 years and led the Eagles to three national championships, including the AIAW national title in 1982 and NCAA Division III titles in 1988 and 1991. He gained eight Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year awards and captured nine straight CAC championships after the league was formed in 1990 through his retirement as coach in 1999. He was named the NCAA Division III National Coach of the Year in 1988 and again in 1999.

A master of planning facilities, he oversaw the construction of  the Battleground Athletic Complex, the UMW outdoor facilities where five national championships have been held. He also was instrumental in the planning for the UMW Indoor Tennis Center, built in 2005. In addition to the school’s top-notch 12-court lighted outdoor facility which will now bear his name, the six-court indoor complex has allowed UMW to host both men’s tennis and women’s tennis national championships.

Hegmann also supervised the construction of the state-of-the-art William M. Anderson Center, a basketball/volleyball arena that seats nearly 2,000 fans, and enables UMW to host NCAA competition at the highest levels in those sports. He is a member of the UMW and the College Women's Tennis Halls of Fame.