NORTH CHESTERFIELD, Va. – North Carolina Central's director of tennis and head men's tennis coach, D. Curtis Lawson, has been selected as an inductee into the Class of 2026 Black Tennis Hall of Fame.
The Black Tennis Hall of Fame's mission is to preserve "the history of Black tennis and honor those who made a global impact on the ideals of sportsmanship and human rights, with special consideration extended to those who overcame racial barriers."
Lawson joins this year's class in recognition of his achievements as both a contributor and a regional legend. The contributor designation honors "individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the sport of tennis in spite of facing barriers of race and/or class," while the regional legend category recognizes nominees who "have committed their lives to enriching tennis in their communities."
"I am humbled and incredibly honored to be selected for induction into the Black Tennis Hall of Fame," said Lawson. "I thank God and my family, who are my inspiration to leave behind a meaningful legacy."
Notable past inductees into the Black Tennis Hall of Fame include Arthur Ashe, Althea Gibson, Zina Garrison, Yannick Noah, Lucy Diggs Slowe, Katrina Adams, Honorable David Dinkins, Dr. Robert Screen, Dr. Robert "Whirlwind" Johnson, Nick Bollettieri and Richard Williams.
Lawson is in his 26th year of coaching at NCCU, having led the program from 1990–96 before returning to the Nest in 2006. He maintains strong community and national ties to the sport as a member of the United States Professional Tennis Association, Professional Tennis Registry and the ITA Carolinas Regional Committee, and holds life memberships in the American Tennis Association and the United States Tennis Association.
During the Division I era, Lawson has guided four Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Players of the Year: Daniil Gerasimov (2015), Theofanis Kontopoulos (2018), Gabriel Cucalon (2019) and Hugo Hidalgo Vega (2024). He has also coached two MEAC Rookies of the Year: Kert Kilumets (2015) and Stipan Madzar (2021). Lawson was named MEAC Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2025. The Eagles are coming off a historic season, finishing 17-7 last season, which was their most wins in a single season in the Division I era. Most recently, NCCU won the 2025 HBCU National Tennis Championship this past fall.
Off the court, Lawson emphasizes academic excellence. His 2025 team posted a 3.88 GPA, the highest at NC Central and the highest among Division I men's tennis programs nationally, as recognized by the ITA.
A graduate of NCCU, Lawson is a life member of the NC Central National Alumni Association, the Alumni Association Durham Chapter and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Lawson's mission is to build and sustain a championship-caliber program while preparing his student-athletes for success in the game of life - striving for "Excellence without Excuse."
For more information on NCCU Athletics, visit NCCUEaglePride.com.
