DAVIS, Calif. -- Bob Dunning, a former UC Davis tennis player and a writer, editor and columnist at the Davis Enterprise newspaper for more than 50 years, will receive the Aggie Legacy Award during the 2021 Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame inductions this fall, the intercollegiate athletics department announced Tuesday morning. The ceremony will take place on Friday, October 1, on the eve of the Aggies' home football game against Idaho.

Inaugurated in the 2010-11 school year, the Aggie Legacy Award honors former UC Davis student-athletes who have achieved in sports or a sports-related field since their departure from the university in a manner that brings honor and prestige back to the athletics program. 

Dunning starred for the Aggie tennis teams of the mid-1960s under the tutelage of coaches Will Lotter and George Stromgren, earning Far Western Conference Player of the Year honors and becoming the program's first player to compete in the NCAA postseason. After graduating with his degree in political science in 1968, he departed his hometown to attend Oregon State for graduate school, but quickly returned to Davis, first to serve as an assistant coach for his alma mater, then to assume the helm as the Enterprise sports editor. His employment began on January 27, 1970. 

While performing his duties as the award-winning newspaper's primary sports scribe, Dunning completed his juris doctor degree from UC Davis' King Hall School of Law. In 1976, he launched a popular daily column called "The Wary I," in which he offered commentary on subjects ranging from city officials to, of course, college football. The column widened Dunning's presence in the community. In 1990, Bob Hope visited Davis to help raise money for the local senior citizen's center. Dunning joined fellow writer Lori Aldrete in an exclusive interview of the comedy legend. Eight years later, Dunning earned an appearance on Comedy Central's The Daily Show, when a young correspondent named Stephen Colbert visited Davis to interview the veteran journalist on the town's "Toad Tunnel." 

Dunning's skills on the tennis court, first developed at nearby Davis High School and sharpened to great success as an Aggie, also landed him a unique opportunity. Sacramento-area restaurateur Eppie Johnson launched a tennis club in South Davis, and brought in Bobby Riggs – four years removed from his "Battle Of The Sexes" showcase with Billie Jean King – as a celebrity attraction for the grand opening. Johnson recruited Dunning as Riggs' opponent for the event.

As for UC Davis, Dunning served as the athletics department's primary beat writer into the 1980s, and resumed that role in the mid-2010s, but maintained a finger on the Aggie pulse through his column and occasional sidebar work in the interim years. He continues to recur as a popular master of ceremonies for team banquets and the annual Causeway Classic Luncheon. When the department held a celebration-of-life event for legendary Aggie football coach Jim Sochor in April 2016, Dunning was the obvious choice as emcee.

In 1986, Dunning was presented with the A.G. Brinley Award for meritorious service to the Davis community. He entered the Davis High School Hall of Fame in 2012. Earlier this spring, Dunning was belatedly honored for his 50th year of service at the Enterprise, with a scholarship fund established in his honor.

Dunning will become the 10th recipient of the Legacy Award. Previous winners comprise Emmy-winning stunt coordinator Shauna Duggins (gymnastics), Arena Football League quarterback Mark Grieb, collegiate football coach Mike Bellotti, mixed martial arts champion Urijah Faber (wrestling), college/pro football coach Paul Hackett, water polo coach Dante Dettamanti (swimming, water polo), NFL kicker and philanthropist Rolf Benirschke (soccer, football), six-time Ironman Triathlon world champion Dave Scott (swimming, water polo) and college football coach Chris Petersen.

The CAAHOF induction ceremony is open to the public. Tickets and RSVP information will be available at ucdavisaggies.com, while questions about the event may be directed to caahof@ucdavis.edu.

ABOUT UC DAVIS:
Centrally located between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, over 700 student-athletes across 25 teams enjoy an unrivaled undergraduate experience at the fifth-ranked public school in the country.

Ranked annually in the nation's top 10 in diversity and students' social mobility, UC Davis and its innovative Aggie EVO system helps student-athletes develop passions, connect with a comprehensive network of alums and industry leaders, gain real-world experience and thrive as a young professional following a successful launch to full-time employment or graduate school.