QUICK FACTS
Official Name: Marya Welch Tennis Center
Date Opened: 1979
Courts: 16
Center Named For: UC Davis women's athletics founder Marya Welch
First Match: 1979
Address: 345 Tennis Court Lane, Davis, Calif. 95616
ABOUT THE MARYA WELCH TENNIS CENTER
Named for the founder of women's athletics at UC Davis, the Marya Welch Tennis Center serves as the home competition and practice facility for Aggie men's and women's tennis.
A 10-court venue existed on the campus's northeast entry for so long that the adjacent street is officially named Tennis Court Lane. However, it was a sizable donation from Welch herself that spearheaded an $800,000 upgrade project in the early 2000s.
The first phase of this renovation, completed in 2005, added six new championship courts, a center patio, fencing and grand entryway. Canopies covering the players’ benches were added in the fall of 2006. Then when UC Davis football moved from its old Toomey Field home to UC Davis Health Stadium in 2007, the end zone bleachers moved to the tennis center to provide spectator seating for each of the six new courts.
Phase II will complete the project with restrooms, lighting, meeting facilities, and spectator seating for viewing all 16 courts, providing a tennis center which will accommodate joint men’s and women’s matches as well as major NCAA tournaments.
On April 14, 2005, the Hickey Tennis Courts were formally renamed the Marya Welch Tennis Center. Each of the new courts, plus the adjoining canopies and the central courtyard is named for a past coach or a key project contributor. Former professional players John McEnroe and Wayne Ferreira were special guests at the dedication ceremony, competing in doubles matches with UC Davis student-athletes before treating the attendees to a rousing singles matchup.
Almost eight years to the day after that ceremony, a new entrance was dedicated to Welch posthumously.
In April of 2025, a generous donation from former tennis player Matt Khourie and his wife Carolyn led to the addition of a brand new scoreboard within the facility. In addition to the new scoreboard, the donation from the Khourie's also led to the creation of the Khourie Family Men's & Women's Tennis Scholarship, furthur showcasing their commitment to the future of Aggie tennis and the university as a whole.
Both teams showcased the scoreboard in action for the first time ever on April 5, 2025 when the men's team faced off against UC Santa Barbara in a Big West matchup while the women's team competed against UC Riverside later that afternoon.
The 10 original tennis courts remain available to the public, including students, staff, faculty and community members. For facility hours and more information about public use, be sure to visit the UC Davis Recreation Center website.
Parking & Directions
From the Bay Area
• Travel east on Interstate 80 until reaching turnoff near UC Davis campus for Highway 113 (toward Woodland).
• Exit Russell Blvd. then turn right. Follow Russell Blvd. toward campus.
• Turn right on Howard Way. From there, you may turn left into the North Entry Parking Structure or turn right onto Tennis Court Lane toward Visitor Lot 15.
From Sacramento
• Travel west on Interstate 80 until reaching the Richards Blvd/Downtown Davis exit. Keep right at the exit.
• Merge left onto Richards Blvd. and proceed under the underpass.
• Richards Blvd. will bear left and become First Street.
• Turn right onto B Street.
• Turn left onto Russell Blvd.
• Turn left onto Howard Way. From there, you may turn left into the North Entry Parking Structure or turn right onto Tennis Court Lane toward Visitor Lot 15.
NOTE: The Marya Welch Tennis Center is also accessible from downtown Davis by traveling west on Fifth Street. That road turns into Russell Blvd. Turn left at Howard Way, then turn left into the NEPS.
