About the Program

The Sagehen Women’s Tennis team has been one of the most outstanding NCAA Division III programs throughout the past two decades. 

Pomona-Pitzer earned the NCAA Division III national championship in 1992 with a 5-4 win over Kenyon, and has consistently been ranked in the top 10 in the nation ever since. The Sagehens have also produced several individual national champions, most recently Siobhan Finicane, who won the NCAA Division III singles title in 2008.

Pomona-Pitzer Women’s Tennis represents student-athletes who excel in the classroom and on the court.  We are proud of the number of Academic All-Americans as well as the NCAA National Champions and All-Americans that the Sagehen tennis program has produced. 

The Sagehen philosophy is to develop each player’s potential as a player, student, and person. The program supports the philosophy of strong academic study and performance, while maximizing one’s talents and abilities as an athlete and person.  Sagehen tennis epitomizes the development of the whole person in a team setting, while providing the student-athlete all the necessary tools for personal and team success.  

A strong practice regimen and competitive schedule coupled with great tennis facilities, ideal tennis weather, and wonderful team camaraderie make Sagehen women’s tennis one of the best programs in the nation.

Darlene Hard

Darlene Hard (Pomona 1961) competed at the top levels of tennis after Pomona. She passed away in 2021, and a celebration of her life occurred in 2022 at USC, where she worked for 40 years after her tennis career ended. Through the years Darlene remained connected and loyal to Pomona-Pitzer Women’s Tennis.  She would come out for matches, alumni tennis events, and just to visit friends (like her Pomona coach Anne Bages) and stroll the Claremont Village.  She is missed by many.

DARLENE HARD CELEBRATION

5:36 — Her 1973 interview with Bud Lesser (film and tv producer) after she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

16:15 — Billie Jean talks about Darlene’s contribution to the game and their time playing together

18:23 — Footage of the 1957 Wimbledon final in which Darlene lost to Althea Gibson (Darlene was not happy about her performance in this singles final, but she did manage to win both the mixed and the women’s doubles at Wimbledon in 1957)!

22:33 — The Queen presents trophies to Darlene and Althea

23:55 — Darlene is interviewed after the singles final. This is a wonderful interview! Just think, Darlene was only 21 years old!