Jeff Kefalos

Columbia, SC

Inducted December 2014

JEFF KEFALOS HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN SOUTH CAROLINA TENNIS THE PAST 40 YEARS AS A COLLEGE PLAYER, COACH AND TEACHING PROFESSIONAL AND AS THE DIRECTOR OF A MAJOR TENNIS CENTER.

AS A COLLEGE PLAYER:

• JEFF ARRIVED IN COLUMBIA FROM WEST VIRGINIA IN 1972 TO PLAY FOR THE GAMECOCKS.
• HE WAS NAMED THE TEAM MVP FOUR TIMES AND TEAM CAPTAIN THREE TIMES.
• KEFALOS WAS A FINALIST FOR THE 1976 RAFAEL OSUNA AWARD WHICH RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING SPORTSMANSHIP AND CONTRIBUTIONS IN COLLEGIATE TENNIS.
• KNOWN FOR HIS OUTSTANDING GROUNDSTROKES AND RETURN OF SERVE JEFF COMPILED A 104-14 SINGLES MARK AND 81-15 DOUBLES RECORD DURING HIS CAREER. HE RANKS SECOND IN CAREER DOUBLES VICTORIES AND SIXTH IN CAREER SINGLES VICTORIES AT SOUTH CAROLINA.
• GRADUATED FROM CAROLINA IN 1976 AS A SCHOLAR-ATHLETE.

AS A COACH:

• AFTER GRADUATION HE BECAME THE COACH OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA WOMEN’S TEAM IN 1977.
• DURING JEFF’S SIX SEASONS AS HEAD COACH HIS TEAMS COMPILED A 127-34 RECORD AND WERE RANKED 12TH OR HIGHER IN THE NATION FIVE TIMES.
• HE WAS ONE OF FOUR FINALISTS FOR THE 1982 NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD AFTER LEADING THE TEAM TO A 28-3 RECORD.
• JEFF RETURNED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA WHEN HE JOINED COACH KENT DEMARS’ MEN’S STAFF FOR THE 1993-94 SEASON.
• HE WAS NAMED 1998 ITA NATIONAL ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR.
• DURING HIS 16 SEASONS AS THE MEN’S ASSISTANT COACH HE WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE RECRUITING AND DEVELOPMENT OF MANY OF THE PROGRAM’S BEST PLAYERS.
• KEFALOS HAS HELPED MENTOR TWO ALL-AMERICAN’S , ONE ITA SCHOLAR ALL-AMERICAN AND FIVE STUDENT ATHLETES WHO EARNED A TOTAL OF 10 ALL-SEC HONORS.

AS A TENNIS PROFESSIONAL AND DIRECTOR OF TENNIS:

• HE BECAME DIRECTOR OF THE COLUMBIA TENNIS CENTER IN 1977, A YEAR AFTER HIS COLLEGE GRADUATION. HE HELD DUAL RESPONSIBILITIES COACHING THE GAMECOCKS AND SERVING AS THE DIRECTOR AT CTC.
• JEFF’S RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE DIRECTING THE CITY’S ADULT AND JUNIOR TENNIS LEAGUES AS WELL AS HOSTING AND DIRECTING SEVERAL LARGE STATE, SECTIONAL AND NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS.
• HE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN DEVELOPING TOP JUNIOR TALENT IN THE MIDLANDS, MANY WHO ACHIEVED HIGH STATE, SECTIONAL AND NATIONAL RANKING AND EARNED COLLEGE TENNIS SCHOLARSHIPS.
• KEFALOS IS A CHARTER MEMBER AND PAST TREASURER OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA PROFESSIONALS’ TENNIS ASSOCIATION.

JEFF WAS INDUCTED INTO THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME IN 2011.