Swarthmore College Athletics

Arguably the most accomplished coach in the history of Swarthmore athletics, Edwin Faulkner (1900-1986) dedicated his life to teaching the game of tennis. While serving as the Garnet men's tennis coach from 1929 to 1970, Faulkner's teams posted a combined record of 376-129 while winning at least 14 conference championships and the 1968 NCAA College Atlantic Coast Regional. Faulkner also coached five U.S. Davis Cup teams (1924, '25, '26, '32, '64), winning three championships. He also coached Davis Cup teams from Canada, France, Spain, and Japan. One of the most respected tennis instructors in the history of the sport, he wrote Ed Faulkner's Tennis: How to Play It, How to Teach It, which remains one of the most popular and influential texts in tennis instruction. Faulkner's achievements have earned him a place in the Helms Foundation Tennis Hall of Fame, the Delaware County Sports Hall of Fame, and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Hall of Fame. The College's outdoor tennis courts are named in his honor.