1948 Men's Tennis Singles Champion
1948 NCAA Singles Champion
Men's Singles Tennis Champion: Harry Likas
Hometown: San Francisco
High School: Lowell High School  Â
Notable Tournament Wins: California State Junior, Pacific Coast Junior, Western Junior, Northern California Invitational, Ojai Invitational, NCAA Singles Championship
In 1948, Harry Likas won USF’s first national championship in any sport when he won the U.S. Intercollegiate Singles title by defeating the top three seeded players in the country. In the final, he beat the nation’s number one ranked player Victor Seixas of North Carolina 6-4, 1-6, 7-5, 6-1. As a result of his tremendous showing, the Dons 1948 team finished in the NCAA runner-up spot just behind William & Mary.
Prior to winning the 1948 NCAA Singles Championship, Likas had established a successful track record in singles competition, especially on the West Coast. He had won the California State Junior, Pacific Coast Junior and the Western Junior titles. He also had advanced to the quarter-finals in the first postwar match of the U.S. Open in Forest Hills in October 1946. Later that year, he was one of the sixteen top tennis players in the U.S. invited to participate in the Sugar Bowl Invitational.
In 1948, Likas with one exception won every match he played, including the Northern California Invitational where his deadly backhand defeated Dons teammate Conway Catton (6-1, 6-4). Likas and Harry Roche teamed to win their doubles match as the Dons won the team title and were presented with the William Johnson Memorial Trophy. The following month, Likas bested Catton to win the Ojai Invitational. The headline in the Foghorn read, "Likas Rammycackles All Comers in Ojai Invitational."
Did You Know? Likas continued on the tennis circuit outpacing five Wimbledon Champions in sectional play before joining the corporate world in 1949 working as an insurance executive and investment manager. In addition to being a member of the USF athletic Hall of Fame Likas was inducted into the Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame in May of 2007.
They Said It: “I am very honored to be inducted into the Hall of Fame," said Likas in 2007. "It is great for people to know that USF had a top, top program and remember what we accomplished. Winning the singles championship in 1948 was fantastic and this is the icing on the cake."
