GRANADA HILLS, Calif. – Former Arkansas men’s tennis great Ron Hightower was one of 20 members recently inducted into the CIF Los Angeles City Section Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class.
The illustrious Class of 2025 featured three contributors, four coaches and 13 athletes along with the fourth Legacy group that left an indelible mark on the history of the athletics scene within the Section.
Hightower starred for the Razorbacks from 1977-80 and helped catapult the Arkansas men’s tennis program to unprecedented levels of success. Hightower led the Hogs to their first two NCAA tournament appearances in 1979 and 1980 in addition to the program’s only 30-win season and first Southwest Conference title in 1980.
Hightower, a 1976 graduate of Eagle Rock High School, was an ITCA All-American selection in singles and doubles in 1980 and etched his name all across the program’s record book. Hightower was the SWC champion at No. 3 Singles in 1978 and secured two more SWC titles in 1980, capturing the No. 1 Doubles crown with Peter Doohan and the No. 2 Singles championship.
Hightower is currently in the top six for several program records, including first in career singles win percentage (.880), second in career singles victories (117) and single-season doubles wins (32, 1980), third in single-season singles victories (38, 1980) and single-season singles win percentage (.884, 1980), fourth in single-season doubles win percentage (.842, 1980) and sixth in career doubles victories (76).
After his career as a Razorback athlete, Hightower returned to Fayetteville as the head coach of the Hogs from 1985-86. Hightower guided Arkansas to the Sweet 16 in 1985 and finished the season with a 22-8 record alongside a final ranking of No. 10. In his last season, Hightower and the Razorbacks posted a 21-8 campaign that concluded with an Elite 8 appearance and a year-end ranking of No. 8.
Hightower and the eighth induction class were honored in the Apollo Ballroom at Odyssey Restaurant in Granada Hills, Calif. on Sunday, April 6.
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