William C. Ackerman

Nicknamed “Mr. UCLA,” Bill Ackerman became a student at the school in 1919, its first year of existence. The following spring, he was the men’s tennis team’s player-coach. He remained the coach until 1950 when the Bruins won the school’s first NCAA title in any sport. His teams also won 10 Pacific Coast Conference titles. From 1933-39, Ackerman served as UCLA’s athletic director. He also later served as the director of Associated Students, the organization that oversees all student activities. In 1984, he was inducted into the ITA Hall of Fame and was a charter member of the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame. In the lead-up to the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Ackerman served on the Southern California Olympic Committee. Ackerman died in 1988 at age 85.