New College of Charleston Turner Tennis Center Officially Open

^{Above (l–r): Jay Brunner, Angelo Anastopoulo, Robb Turner, Griffin McLarty ’19, Ava Turner ’21, President Andrew T. Hsu, Billy Silcox and Matt Roberts (photo by Kip Karson Photography). All other photos by Catie Cleveland.}

The College of Charleston Turner Tennis Center officially opened on Sept. 9, 2024, thanks to Robb and Lydia Turner, who saw how important being on the tennis team was to their daughter’s university experience.

“When Ava came to the College, she was a long way from home, but she had a team,” says Robb Turner. “The team members were her best friends. They picked her up. They followed her her freshman year. They took care of her. That was very important to my daughter and her college experience.

“For the tennis program, my wife and I felt the facility just needed a little push,” he continues. “We felt if we could help upgrade the facilities, then students would give this a serious look to come down and play some day.”

Already the Turners’ investment in the College is making an impact. 

“Two five-star high recruits have already committed to play for the College starting in the fall 2025 academic year after seeing the renovation,” says Coach Angelo Anastopoulo, director of tennis and the head women’s tennis coach. “The Turner Tennis Center will add to the many reasons to choose the College of Charleston.”

Using the former tennis facility at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant as its base, the Turners gave the exterior a facelift, including a covered pavilion with dining tables and lounge furniture. All nine courts were resurfaced, and the singles courts are now named the Billy Silcox Courts in honor of Willard “Billy” A. Silcox ’65, who retired from the College after serving as athletics director, director of intramural sports, women’s basketball coach and both the men’s and women’s tennis coach – and who currently volunteers as a tennis coach.

Silcox is both honored and humbled to have the singles courts named after him. Even more, he’s excited about how the Turner Tennis Center is transforming the sport of tennis at the College.

“Because of the Turner Tennis Center, the attraction to the sport has doubled from what it was before,” he says. “It’s a huge attraction for players who know they are going to spend half of their time at the tennis center. It’s going to make a huge difference in recruiting and the life of the students.”

Ava Turner ’21 agrees; one thing that she emphasized was the inclusion of day beds, something she wished the center had when she played. Other interior improvements include new windows, doors, floors and ceiling as well as lounge space, coaches’ offices and a sports medicine treatment room.

“The Turner family has been behind the scenes making sure this renovation was perfect, and we are thrilled with the end result,” says Anastopoulo. “It’s just what the tennis program, activity classes and tennis team club needed. It will be such an asset in recruiting and supporting our student-athletes.”

Indeed, the dedication and vision of the Turner family – and the resulting state-of-the-art, nationally recognized competitive tennis center – has positioned the College’s tennis program for future success.

“The Turners have always been family, and now each time I walk up the stairs and see ‘Turner Tennis Center’ it will bring a smile to my face,” says Anastopoulo. “It feels like home.”