Chet and Marguerite Pagni Family
Athletic Hall of Fame

Andrew Rae ’76 (BBA)

Men’s Tennis

Andrew Rae, a native of Melbourne, Australia, played for the Toreros men’s tennis team from 1972 to 1975. He was a two-time NCAA Division II All-American and national singles champion (1974 and 1975), the NCAA Division II national doubles champion (1974), and the NCAA Division II national doubles runner-up in 1975. His doubles partner was fellow Australian, Russell Watts, with whom he’s still good friends. Rae led USD to back-to-back NCAA Division II national team championships in 1974 and 1975. Following graduation, he got married and taught tennis under Ed Collins at nearby Rancho Bernardo Inn before accepting a head pro position at a private club in Pittsburg, Penn. Rae returned to Australia in 1979, and in 1981 founded and still operates a successful business in retail lumber and hardware.

At the age of 35 he started competing in seniors tennis events in Australia, USA and Europe. Since the age of 45 he has achieved the No. 1 world ranking in the 45, 50, 55 and 60 age groups; won seven world singles titles; won nine world doubles titles in team competition; and been a member of eight winning teams in world team competitions playing at No. 1. Additionally, he held the No. 1 ranking in Australia in his age group from 2000 into late 2013. In 2010, he became the first person from his country to receive the prestigious Newcombe Medal for seniors tennis and, in December 2012, was honored with his second Newcombe Medal, named for John Newcombe, a member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.