The Cal State Fullerton men's tennis team last played a match in 1987. However, that hasn't stopped several Titan men's tennis alumni from continuing to support intercollegiate tennis on the Fullerton campus.

Led by William Schuster '85 and Michael Stone '67, many former varsity men's players have, over the years, provided both tangible financial support and vocal encouragement to the Titans women's tennis program, which at the time of this writing is off to an impressive 8-2 overall start.

Stone said, "From both her Zoom and in-person interviews, it was apparent that Coach Ellie (in her second year at CSUF) was someone very special who would be hard-working and a great choice to lead the Titan women's tennis program, and she has more than fulfilled all expectations."  

Per head coach Ellie Johnson:  "The support from the Titan men's tennis alumni means a great deal to our program. Their presence at matches, willingness to support fundraising efforts, and investment in the future of Titan Tennis creates a strong sense of tradition and continuity for our team. It shows our players that they are part of something bigger than just this season. That they are part of a broader Titan tennis community that truly cares about the success of the program."

"I am very happy to support the Titans women's tennis program," Schuster shared, adding, "Giving back is all about the long-term relationships that we've established as Titan men's tennis lettermen."

In addition to participating in the annual Tennis with the Titans fundraisers, men's tennis alumni members set up an endowment for the women's program in 2015, paid for a team dinner in Hawaii, and have extensively documented the history of the women's and men's tennis programs on a Wikipedia page. 

Until the recent rains and winds tore it down, a large banner had been affixed to a portion of the Titan Courts fence line, listing all of the Cal State Fullerton women's tennis coaches and players since the inception of the program during the 1967-68 school year, which began with a less-than-generous budget of $100. Plans are underway to replace it with a new banner.      

In addition to Schuster and Stone, some of those Titan men's tennis alumni who have been actively involved as donors and boosters include Neil Stenton '64, Donald Alger '68, Marc Roy '81, Randy Friend '83, Jon Hosea '75, David Clark '68, Terry Lee Badger '73, Gil Duran '79, and Jim Clegern '72. 

Each of the men's tennis alums has their own reasons for supporting Titan women's tennis. For Stone, it goes back to his roots: "My Mom and Dad started me on tennis at a very young age, and that enabled me to play high school and then college tennis at Fullerton. It seems only natural to support the Titan women's tennis program, so that I have an opportunity to give back to the sport that has meant so much to me."

Jon Hosea '75 had similar thoughts: "As former Cal State Fullerton student-athletes, it's our foothold in tennis."

Hosea added, "During COVID, when we were all locked up in our homes, I was able to sit in my car to watch the women's tennis matches. That meant a lot to me."   
   
Schuster also said, "Titan alums, some now in their 80s, often ask me how the women's team performed following a match, and all of us hope for a Big West Championship and a trip to the NCAA Division I Team Tournament."

Coach Johnson concluded: "It also means a lot for our student-athletes to see former players staying connected and supporting the program. It reinforces the culture we are trying to build and reminds our team that the relationships and pride in Titan Tennis extend well beyond their years on the court."