Daryl Gross has a secret favorite sport: tennis.

Syracuse’s Director of Athletics has been to Wimbledon every year since 1997. Last summer, he started chatting up 1993 French Open doubles champion and ESPN analyst Luke Jensen about how he could improve Syracuse’s program.

The two vaguely knew each other from their days at Southern California in the mid-80’s when Jensen was one of the world’s top-ranked junior players and Gross was a graduate assistant for football.

‘What can I do in tennis at Syracuse to make it happen?’ Gross asked Jensen, who played 18 years on the ATP Tour. ‘We were just bouncing ideas off. And I said, ‘Man, I can’t see this getting better unless we make a change or supplement (the program) or complement it or enhance it.”

Gross decided the best way to accomplish that was to offer the head coaching position to Jensen, though the AD never thought Jensen would take it. Jensen surprised Gross by accepting several weeks ago.

Gross will make the formal announcement today, a day after the start of the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows in Queens – which Gross was watching on his hi-definition television in his office Monday.

Bringing in a person of Jensen’s caliber is the most notable non-revenue coaching hire in school history. Jensen, 40, is the fourth head coach in the 31-year history of the tennis program.

‘Think about his wealth of knowledge,’ said Gross. ‘And we’re bringing him here to Syracuse?’

‘The biggest thing is something needs to be done about American tennis,’ Jensen said from Flushing Meadows on Monday. ‘We can work on that at Syracuse. We’re a New York school. New York and New England players have an edge to them – not cocky, but they have a good presence.’

Gross said former head coach Mac Gifford will remain on staff as an associate head coach. Gifford compiled an 83-64 overall record in seven seasons as head coach.

Jensen, who will continue to broadcast for ESPN all the majors and select other tournaments, said he had no concerns working as the old coach’s boss. The two met last week when Jensen toured Skytop Tennis Courts, Syracuse’s home courts.

‘The biggest thrill I had was sitting down with Mac,’ said Jensen. ‘We just ordered a new ball machine that serves like 170 miles per hour – it looks like Star Wars – and we were talking shots, tinkering with shots. He played tennis at (California-)Berkeley. He’s a good tactician and has experience working with a college program.’

Jensen, who will return this weekend to meet the players, said prior commitments will prevent him from taking over full-time until around Thanksgiving. Gifford will handle the coaching duties until Jensen arrives.

‘Coaching the professional athlete is not as rewarding as having your own program,’ said Jensen. ‘Professionals are temperamental. They’re going in one direction. I want to build human beings and built the human spirit. I have the opportunity to shape adults. When I talk to Daryl, I get fired up.’

Jensen won 10 doubles titles on the ATP Tour in a career that lasted from 1987-2005. He won four of those with his brother, Murphy, including the 1993 French Open. Jensen also played on the U.S. Davis Cup team in 1991 and 1992.

He has his work cut out for him at Syracuse with his goal of expanding the game in the U.S.

While the SU tennis program won three Big East championships in its first four years in the conference (’82, ’84, ’85) and finished in the top two every year from 1982-1992, the Orange has not been ranked in the national top 75 since 2001.

Jensen, who was born in Grayling, Mich., will be the fourth head coach Gross has hired since taking over as athletic director in December 2004.

Gross hired Greg Robinson to coach football in his first few weeks on the job. He hired Chris Fox to coach cross country and track last summer and Leigh Ross to coach softball last Thursday. Gross also named Quentin Hillsman interim women’s basketball head coach for 2006-07 after Keith Cieplicki resigned in June.

And by the time Jensen arrives permanently in Syracuse, Gross may have a place to play against his newest head coach: Wimbledon West.

‘I want to build a grass court in my backyard,’ said Gross. ‘Everyone thinks I’m crazy, but (assistant athletic director) Pete Sala is going to help me do it. Everyone says it snows here. Well yeah, but we have golf courses here with these beautiful greens. It snows on the greens. People come back.’

Published on August 28, 2006 at 12:00 pm