FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (July 16) – California University of Pennsylvania Athletic Director Dr. Tom Pucci will be honored as part of the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor Class of 2009 this fall. He will be inducted into the UA Sports Hall of Honor on Sept. 18 at the Holiday Inn in Springdale, Ark.

Pucci spent eight years as head coach of the Arkansas men's tennis program, leading the team to 218 wins and a .784 winning percentage. He guided the Hogs to three appearances in both the NCAA Round of 16 and NCAA Quarterfinals from 1979-84 with all of the teams finishing the seasons ranked in the top 10 nationally. Pucci also coached Arkansas to Southwest Conference Championships in 1980 and 1981, topping such teams as Baylor, Houston, Texas, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech.

“This is one of the greatest honors I've ever received,” said Pucci. “I was very fortunate to have a great group of young men who achieved great heights and bought into the believe of building the Arkansas tennis program into one of the best in the nation.”

During the 1980 season, Pucci guided the program to a school-best 31-4 record, advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals and finished the season ranked seventh in the country. The next year, the Razorbacks were ranked sixth in the nation for the program's highest-ever finish at the end of the season.

Under his guidance, five Arkansas players garnered 12 All-America honors with the program's first three players earning All-America accolades in 1980.

Following his coaching career with the Razorbacks, Pucci entered athletic administration at Cal State-Sacramento before moving onto South Carolina-Spartanburg.

He enters his 18th year as the Athletic Director at Cal U and has helped direct the Vulcans to unprecedented athletic success with three NCAA National Championships and the school's first-ever Dixon Trophy during his tenure.

Joining Pucci as members of the Hall of Honor Class of 2009 are Shawn Andrews (football), Richard Bell (football), Ron Calcagni (football), Veronica Campbell-Brown (track & field), Dr. Jim Counce (men's basketball), Alistair Cragg (track & field) and Billy Joe Moody (football).