WILMINGTON, Del. -- Laura Travis, who has followed a record-setting playing career at the University of Delaware women’s tennis team with a successful tenure as head coach of the UD men’s and women’s tennis teams, will be inducted into the Delaware Tennis Hall of Fame in a ceremony this Saturday, Nov. 7 at Wilmington Country Club.

Travis (at right), will be joined in the induction class by Tom Ellis, who has served as the United States Tennis Association Delaware District League coordinator since 1986. Also honored at the banquet will be this past year’s USTA league champions as well as USTA District, Section, and National winners.

In addition to the ceremony, there will be a live and silent auction as well as a live performance by local band, The Snap. The cost is $65 per person with all proceeds going to the Delaware Tennis Foundation. A reception begins at 6 p.m. followed by the induction ceremony at 7 p.m. Call 302-777-5610 or go to www.detennisfoundation.org for information or to purchase tickets.

A native of Wilmington, Travis (formerly LeRoy) starred at nearby Tower Hill School before coming to Delaware where she was an instant standout, winning four East Coast Conference singles and doubles titles, leading the team to ECC team championships in 1987 and 1988, and being named team Most Valuable Player all four years.

She set school records for singles wins in a season and career and was the 1989 ECC Scholar-Athlete of the Year as well as a College Sports Information Directors of America District 2 All-Academic selection. She was inducted into the UD Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001. She earned her degree in physical education from Delaware in 1989 and her master’s degree in physical education and sports psychology from UD in 1998.

She is currently in her 18th season as head coach of the UD women’s tennis team and her 17th with the men’s program. Her men's teams have won at least 10 matches in all but two seasons and her overall record is 182-131, including a 15-5 record in 1996-97 when the Blue Hens captured the America East title. The win marked just the second conference title in school history and the first since 1974.

She also led the Blue Hens to a second place finish in 1995-96 and semifinal appearances in 1995, 1998, and 1999, and was named America East Men's Tennis Coach of the Year twice, in 1996, and 1997.

On the women's side, Travis has led the Blue Hens to an 18-year record of 202-102, which includes establishing school records for wins in three different seasons when the Hens posted marks of 17-0, 17-1, and 17-9. She led the Blue Hens to eight straight America East Tournament second place finishes in 1994-2001 and was the league Coach of the Year in 1994-95, 1995-96, and 1999-2000.

Her 1996-97 team went undefeated with a 17-0 mark and her 1997-98 squad completed a school record 42-match win streak which tied the longest win streak by any women's athletic team in UD history.

Prior to returning to her alma mater as an assistant coach, Travis served as head coach for boy's and girl's tennis at nearby A.I. duPont High School.

She was named the United States Professional Tennis Association Middle Atlantic Division Women's College Coach of the Year in 1995 and was the USPTA Women's Open Player of the Year in 1995 and the USPTA Rookie of the Year in 1994.

In December, 2003, Travis was named the national winner of the USTA and International Tennis Association Campus Recreation Award. She has been instrumental in the implementation of several programs geared to increasing tennis participation on the Delaware campus. Over the last six years, she has implemented USA Tennis Free for All, USA Tennis 1-2-3 and USA Team tennis programs on her campus.

All these programs are related to the USA Tennis Program Pathway, which stresses 'trying, learning, playing and competing' aspects of picking up and playing a sport.

She and her husband, Gerry, reside in Newark with their daughters Brooke and Chase.

Since 1995, the Delaware Tennis Hall of Fame has recognized those individuals who have made significant achievements in and contributions to the sport of tennis. The Hall of Fame dinner honors the inductees and also serves as a major fundraising vehicle for the development and support of tennis programs and activities in Delaware for the Delaware Tennis Foundation.

The Delaware Tennis Foundation is a non profit organization that was established in 1953. The purpose of the DTF is to promote the sport of tennis throughout the state of Delaware with a special emphasis on junior tennis. The foundation supports the inner city summer programs, gives scholarships to needy children to attend area camps and subsidizes other statewide tennis programs. The DTF has introduced thousands of youngsters regardless of financial background to the lifetime sport of tennis.