Lehigh University Athletics
Howard Talmud '77 endows men's tennis head coach position
7/25/2014 1:15:00 PM | Men's Tennis
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh Dean of Athletics Joe Sterrett '76 has announced that Howard J. Talmud '77 has endowed the Head Men's Tennis Coach position at Lehigh University. Talmud graduated from Lehigh with a degree in Finance in 1977 and added a MBA from Lehigh the following year. He became an avid tennis fan in his post-graduate years and attends many international tournaments and Davis Cup matches.
As a result of his involvement in a Pro-Am charity tennis event, Talmud met many athletes who received scholarships to come to the United States for their college education. The great appreciation and respect expressed by these students along with Talmud's affinity to help Lehigh motivated him to explore how to best support students playing tennis at his alma mater. Talmud's relationships with international tennis players and coaches along with Lehigh Head Coach Wouter Hendrix's international stature having come to Lehigh from his native Belgium provided further reinforcement for Talmud's recent investment.
"It is truly a great pleasure to endow the position of Head Men's Tennis Coach at Lehigh," Talmud said. "I reached out to Joe Sterrett to see how I could help out the tennis program and he suggested the endowed chair. Giving back to Lehigh is very important to me and considering my passion for tennis it felt like the perfect thing to do."
Following his graduation from Lehigh, Talmud began working in his family business, Ready Made Sign Company, which actually did some sign work for Lehigh in the 1970s and 1980s. After the family business was sold, Talmud attended Hofstra Law School, earning his JD in 1991. Currently, he is president of Winey, LLC, a privately held real estate development firm that has focused on developing properties in the Hamptons in Eastern Long Island, N.Y.
"Howard's investment in the Lehigh Tennis Program is going to have a transformational impact on our ability to provide stability and quality in our coaching staff for years to come," Sterrett said. "He recognizes the importance of quality coaching to the recruitment and development of tennis scholar-athletes. His commitment to endowment support for the Howard J. Talmud Head Tennis Coach position is a perfect way to combine his appreciation for his Lehigh education, his love of tennis and his recognition of coaching as a critical priority. We could not be more grateful to Howard for his financial leadership and his friendship."
Current Head Men's Tennis Coach Wouter Hendrix will assume the title of Howard J. Talmud '77 Head Coach. Hendrix enters his third season as Lehigh's head men's coach and his seventh on Lehigh's tennis coaching staff. He previously served as assistant men's and women's coach under Dave Shook.
In his first season as a head coach (2013), Hendrix guided the Mountain Hawks to a program-best 18-6 record as Lehigh outlasted Bucknell 4-3 in a marathon Patriot League semifinal, before blanking Navy 4-0 to claim the program's first Patriot League championship. Hendrix was named Patriot League Coach of the Year and Lehigh made it's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance at national power Mississippi.
In six seasons working with the men's tennis program, Hendrix has mentored 14 All-Patriot League selections, one Patriot League Player of the Year (Troy List '11) and one two-time Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year (Andrew Krentz '13). The men's tennis team has reached the Patriot League semifinals in five straight seasons, winning the title in 2013 and finishing second in 2011.
Since Hendrix's arrival prior to the 2008-09 season, Lehigh's men's and women's programs have combined to produce 19 All-Patriot League selections, nine Academic All-Patriot League honorees, four Patriot League Scholar-Athletes of the Year and one Player of the Year.
"I would like to express my utmost gratitude regarding Howard Talmud's endowment of the position of Head Men's Tennis Coach and his Leadership Gift to Lehigh University," Hendrix said. "Having Howard on our team is an absolute win for our program. His support motivates me even more to develop our student-athletes into winners and leaders in the classroom and on the court. Not only do I feel extremely humbled and fortunate to be the Howard Talmud Head Men's Tennis Coach at Lehigh University, I am also grateful to have acquired a great friend with whom I share a strong passion and love for Lehigh and for the game of tennis."
In addition to Talmud's gift, the Lehigh Tennis program has been the beneficiary of significant financial support from two other alumni with a deep appreciation for tennis. Alumnus and Trustee Emeritus, Ron Ulrich '66 played Tennis during his undergraduate years at Lehigh and fellow alumnus and Trustee Emeritus Murray Goodman '48 played competitive and recreational tennis for more than 50 years after college.
Lehigh's outdoor Ulrich Varsity Tennis Courts will be undergoing a comprehensive overhaul and expansion this summer and fall.
As a result of his involvement in a Pro-Am charity tennis event, Talmud met many athletes who received scholarships to come to the United States for their college education. The great appreciation and respect expressed by these students along with Talmud's affinity to help Lehigh motivated him to explore how to best support students playing tennis at his alma mater. Talmud's relationships with international tennis players and coaches along with Lehigh Head Coach Wouter Hendrix's international stature having come to Lehigh from his native Belgium provided further reinforcement for Talmud's recent investment.
"It is truly a great pleasure to endow the position of Head Men's Tennis Coach at Lehigh," Talmud said. "I reached out to Joe Sterrett to see how I could help out the tennis program and he suggested the endowed chair. Giving back to Lehigh is very important to me and considering my passion for tennis it felt like the perfect thing to do."
Following his graduation from Lehigh, Talmud began working in his family business, Ready Made Sign Company, which actually did some sign work for Lehigh in the 1970s and 1980s. After the family business was sold, Talmud attended Hofstra Law School, earning his JD in 1991. Currently, he is president of Winey, LLC, a privately held real estate development firm that has focused on developing properties in the Hamptons in Eastern Long Island, N.Y.
"Howard's investment in the Lehigh Tennis Program is going to have a transformational impact on our ability to provide stability and quality in our coaching staff for years to come," Sterrett said. "He recognizes the importance of quality coaching to the recruitment and development of tennis scholar-athletes. His commitment to endowment support for the Howard J. Talmud Head Tennis Coach position is a perfect way to combine his appreciation for his Lehigh education, his love of tennis and his recognition of coaching as a critical priority. We could not be more grateful to Howard for his financial leadership and his friendship."
Current Head Men's Tennis Coach Wouter Hendrix will assume the title of Howard J. Talmud '77 Head Coach. Hendrix enters his third season as Lehigh's head men's coach and his seventh on Lehigh's tennis coaching staff. He previously served as assistant men's and women's coach under Dave Shook.
In his first season as a head coach (2013), Hendrix guided the Mountain Hawks to a program-best 18-6 record as Lehigh outlasted Bucknell 4-3 in a marathon Patriot League semifinal, before blanking Navy 4-0 to claim the program's first Patriot League championship. Hendrix was named Patriot League Coach of the Year and Lehigh made it's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance at national power Mississippi.
In six seasons working with the men's tennis program, Hendrix has mentored 14 All-Patriot League selections, one Patriot League Player of the Year (Troy List '11) and one two-time Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year (Andrew Krentz '13). The men's tennis team has reached the Patriot League semifinals in five straight seasons, winning the title in 2013 and finishing second in 2011.
Since Hendrix's arrival prior to the 2008-09 season, Lehigh's men's and women's programs have combined to produce 19 All-Patriot League selections, nine Academic All-Patriot League honorees, four Patriot League Scholar-Athletes of the Year and one Player of the Year.
"I would like to express my utmost gratitude regarding Howard Talmud's endowment of the position of Head Men's Tennis Coach and his Leadership Gift to Lehigh University," Hendrix said. "Having Howard on our team is an absolute win for our program. His support motivates me even more to develop our student-athletes into winners and leaders in the classroom and on the court. Not only do I feel extremely humbled and fortunate to be the Howard Talmud Head Men's Tennis Coach at Lehigh University, I am also grateful to have acquired a great friend with whom I share a strong passion and love for Lehigh and for the game of tennis."
In addition to Talmud's gift, the Lehigh Tennis program has been the beneficiary of significant financial support from two other alumni with a deep appreciation for tennis. Alumnus and Trustee Emeritus, Ron Ulrich '66 played Tennis during his undergraduate years at Lehigh and fellow alumnus and Trustee Emeritus Murray Goodman '48 played competitive and recreational tennis for more than 50 years after college.
Lehigh's outdoor Ulrich Varsity Tennis Courts will be undergoing a comprehensive overhaul and expansion this summer and fall.
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