Football
Jason Maikis, Daily Bruin reporter
Former Bruin Terry Donahue has been diagnosed with cancer.
Donahue was the coach of UCLA football from 1976 to 1995, spending a total of 25 years on the sideline for his alma mater. During his time at the helm, Donahue won 151 games – the most in UCLA history – while losing only 74. He guided the Bruins to three Rose Bowl victories and 98 conference wins, the most in Pac-12 history.
Donahue started his UCLA career as a player and won a Rose Bowl with the team in 1966. In 1971, he joined coach Dick Vermeil’s staff as an assistant before succeeding Vermeil in 1976.
Donahue was the first coach in NCAA history to win seven straight bowl games. His teams finished in the nation’s top 10 five times, and he coached future Hall of Famers Troy Aikman and Kenny Easley during his tenure.
He received two Conference Coach of the Year honors and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000, as well as UCLA’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001.
After his college coaching career, Donahue worked as the director of player personnel of the San Francisco 49ers from 1999 to 2000, before a four-year run as general manager.
UCLA issued a press release Tuesday that Donahue, 74, will start chemotherapy following his recovery from surgery at UCSD’s Jacobs Medical Center on Friday. Donahue was released from the center Tuesday morning.
Gymnastics
Coral Smith, Daily Bruin staff
The Bruins are keeping it in the family.
New UCLA gymnastics coach Chris Waller has made his first hire as head of the program, bringing former UCLA gymnast Kristina Comforte on board as assistant coach.
Comforte was a five-time All-American and U.S. National Team member when she competed for the Bruins from 2006 to 2008. Comforte took second place in the vault at the NCAA championship in her freshman year, and also claimed runner-up at NCAAs on uneven bars in her junior year.
After being plagued with injuries in her sophomore season, Comforte ultimately retired from competition at the beginning of her senior year and moved to a role as undergraduate assistant coach, guiding UCLA to the NCAA championship in 2010.
Since graduating, Comforte has spent time as an assistant coach at University of Illinois, and most recently coached at the Illinois Gymnastics Institute.
“From the moment I set foot on campus my freshman year in college, UCLA has held a special place in my heart,” Comforte said in a statement. “I had the privilege of being mentored by Miss Val and (Waller) during my time at UCLA, not only as a student-athlete but well into my coaching career. I am looking forward to using all that I have learned and the wisdom I have gained to continue the great tradition that is UCLA gymnastics.”
Men’s tennis
Jared Tay, Daily Bruin contributor
Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors and Bill Ackerman – these legends of Westwood are all members of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Hall of Fame, and another Bruin is about to join them.
The ITA announced May 19 that former UCLA men’s tennis player Roy Barth was among the six inductees into the ITA Hall of Fame Class of 2019. Barth played for UCLA from 1967-69 and posted a combined record of 44-5-1 over his three years as a Bruin.
Barth’s first season as a Bruin was also the inaugural year of former tennis coach Glenn Bassett’s career at UCLA. Bassett held the program record for the most wins until current coach Billy Martin surpassed him in April this year.
Barth and his doubles partner Steve Tidball were named All-Americans in both the 1968 and 1969 seasons. They were the runners-up to Stan Smith and Bob Lutz of USC in the 1968 NCAA doubles championship.
Barth turned pro upon leaving UCLA and competed in the 1969 US Open. He advanced to the fourth round and was eventually defeated by No. 9 seed Roy Emerson, 6-3, 6-0, 6-3. That result was the best of his professional career.
The induction of Barth pushes the number of Bruins in the ITA Hall of Fame to 22.