University of Indiana

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2022 Inductee

When it comes to women’s college tennis, there are few names as synonymous with winning as Lin Loring.

Lin arrived at Indiana University in 1977, after spending 4 years as head coach at his alma mater UC Santa Barbara, and spent the next 40 years coaching the women’s tennis team. He took the program by storm, racking up 16 Big Ten titles, 12 undefeated conference seasons, and 846 wins (804 at Indiana) — placing him as the collegiate women’s tennis all-time wins leader. In 1982, his team won the AIAW National Championship which still remains as the only national title in a women’s sport won by Indiana University. “I share this with everyone who was part of the program,” Lin says. “Every athletic trainer, every academic advisor, every manager, every assistant coach, every player — we were just a big family working together.”

For Lin, accomplishments always take a backseat to relationships; what matters most is his interaction with the players. “You’re so influential in their lives,” Lin says. “More than wins or losses, you remember the relationships and the experiences.” Lin cemented these bonds in many ways over the years, including going to their weddings. In fact, as soon as all the COVID restrictions dropped, Lin attended three of his former players’ weddings.

For future tennis coaches, Lin has some advice: Learn from your peers and have mentors. “I was so fortunate to have come in as a 27-year-old in what people call the golden era of Indiana athletics. Bobby Knight, Doc Counsilman, Hobie Billingsley and Sam Bell. Whether it’s with a mentor, a teammate, or a player you’re coaching, make those relationships strong, and make them count.”