Jim Van Zandt was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association Women’s Tennis Hall of Fame on May 8, 2011 at Randolph Tennis Center in Tucson, Arizona during the National Junior College Women’s National Championship tournament. Van Zandt has served as the Kalamazoo Valley Community College women’s tennis coach for 17 years with his teams qualifying for Nationals 11 of the 17 years. Van Zandt is a Kalamazoo county native and a 1960 graduate of Kalamazoo College who has served in many capacities at the Nationals in his over 60 years of service. Always a fan of the Nats, he began attending the matches while in high school and was asked to call lines in the quarterfinals. In 1959 he was a student worker for Coach George Acker, keeping the red clay courts in playing order. Over the years Jim has served in many capacities including running the Feed-Ins, training Ball Runners, managing the Pro Shop, serving as Chair Umpire and leading the Site Preparation and Maintenance committee (Red Crew). He received the prestigious Green Jacket Award in 1987 and the Community Service Award in 2001. Jim, along with wife Ellie, now Co-Chair the T-Shirt Distribution Committee. Van Zandt, formerly a teacher, coach, and principal at Galesburg-Augusta High School, was inducted into the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1989 for his Galesburg-Augusta tennis team achievements of six Class C-D state championship teams and four runners-up. Additionally, Jim was inducted into the Galesburg-Augusta High School Hall of Fame with the inaugural class in 2009.

Source: Julie Gibson