Texas Tennis Museum & Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2026

Ken de Koning, Jai DiLouie, Ted Erck and Jack Newman to be inducted October 24 in Waco

WACO, Texas — The Texas Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame will welcome four distinguished members of the Texas tennis community into the Texas Tennis Hall of Fame during its 2026 Annual Banquet on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in Waco.

The Class of 2026—Ken de Koning, Jai DiLouie, Ted Erck and Jack Newman—represents excellence in competition, coaching, leadership and service. Together, their careers span decades of achievement and reflect the many ways one person can shape the history and future of tennis in Texas.

Class of 2026

Ken de Koning is an accomplished international player, coach and mentor whose influence has been felt throughout South Texas and beyond. A former Suriname national champion and Dutch Davis Cup team member, he later competed for the University of Corpus Christi and built a distinguished coaching career developing nationally ranked juniors, collegiate players and touring professionals, including Steve Denton.

Jai DiLouie was one of the nation’s leading junior players of the 1970s, winning four USTA national junior titles and the 1976 Australian Open Junior Championship. A three-time All-American at Southern Methodist University, DiLouie later coached Chris Evert, led the SMU women’s team to the NCAA quarterfinals and served for nearly two decades as a USTA national coach.

Ted Erck has made a lasting impact as a player, volunteer and advocate for tennis in Houston and across Texas. A former University of Texas team captain and professional tour competitor, he co-founded a tennis tournament that raised more than $200,000 for children with cancer and has held numerous leadership roles with the Houston Tennis Association, USTA Texas and community tennis programs.

Jack Newman is one of Texas’ most respected junior-development coaches and the founder of Austin Tennis Academy. A USPTA Master Professional and recipient of the Tut Bartzen Lifetime Achievement Award, Newman has spent more than 40 years developing nationally ranked juniors, collegiate team captains and professional players while using tennis to support scholarships and charitable initiatives.

The evening will begin with self-guided tours of the Texas Tennis Museum and Hall of Fame from 5 to 6 p.m., followed by a cocktail reception with live music from 6 to 7 p.m. Dinner and the formal induction program will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.

Individual tickets and tables of eight are available for purchase. A special room block is also available at Hotel Indigo Waco through September 24, subject to availability. For those unable to attend in person, the induction program will be streamed live.

For tickets, hotel information and complete event details, visit our 2026 Banquet page.