In September 2015, Washington State University celebrated Rex Davis and 24 others as newest members of the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame:--Friday Sept. 18, 2015, Rex and the other in the "Class of 2015" were inducted during a dinner at the Davenport Hotel in downtown Spokane.
--Saturday Sept. 19, 2015, at halftime of Wyoming at WSU football game at WSU's Martin Stadium in Pullman, the inductees were introduced.
Over a 28-year span (1966-1994) Rex, coached men's gymnastics and men's and women's tennis at WSU. During Rex’s WSU coaching tenures, his gymnastics and tennis athletes had the highest graduation rate of Cougar athletes competing on any WSU athletic teams.
In his comments in Spokane, Rex said:
First of all I want to thank daughter Penny and Bob Peavy for submitting my name for induction into the cougar Hall of Fame. They got it all started.
I am honored to be a part of this prestigious group.
I want to introduce some people to you who are very important to me.
First, my wife, Alice, of 62 years. I saw her singing the church choir in 1950 and said there is the love of my life and she still is.
We have four children and all of them are here tonight. I would like to introduce them:
…Vicky and husband Noel Elliot, Spokane.
…Cathy and husband Tim Healy, Olympia.
…Gary, Pullman.
…Penny and husband David Woodruff, who live in University Place.
They blessed us with 10 wonderful grandchildren and all are here tonight. Would you stand?
My brother, Jim Davis, is also here from California.
I have 5 of my former players here tonight. Please stand.
…Bruce Allan, ’69, California.
…Mike Johnson, ’69, Pennsylvania.
…Tim Reid and Allison, ’80, Albany, Ore,
…Steve Stewart, ’80, Tennessee.
…Bill Stevens, 87’, Pullman.
I was proud to be a Cougar gymnast competing for Hubie Dunn way back when.
I am proud to have coached gymnastics and tennis teams for the cougars over the years.
I am proud to be inducted into the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame.
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In 1994, the WSU Board of Regents approved naming Rex Davis Center Court at the WSU outdoor tennis facility in his honor. The court was dedicated on Oct. 7, 1995, in a ceremony during Homecoming weekend.
In 1995, he received the WSU Alumni Achievement Award.
Rex is a 1949 graduate of Columbia High School of Richland, Wash. (now called Richland High School) and a 1953 grad of WSU.
Rex and Alice, both 83, live in Pullman and are active members of Pullman’s Simpson United Methodist Church.
They both retired in 1994, he after 28 years coaching at teaching at WSU and she after 24 years teaching elementary school in the Pullman School District.
Prior to joining WSU in 1966, Rex taught and coached boys’ and girls’ tennis and boys’ and girls’ gymnastics for 11 years (1955-1966) at Richland, Wash., High. He also coached Pullman High School boys’ tennis in the 2006 and 2007 seasons.
=REX DAVIS, COUGAR COACH=
1966-1969: WSU men's gymnastics, head coach
1983-1991: WSU women's tennis, head coach
1966-1994: WSU men's tennis, head coach
NOTES:
--More info about Rex:
http://www.wsucougars.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=210091888
http://www.cougcenter.com/2015/5/17/8617113/wsu-cougars-athletics-hall-of-fame
--Rex mentioned his 10 grandchildren. They are Lana Rhodes, 35, Topeka, Kan., two children; Ryan Healy, 32, Lacey, Wash., two children; Jody Brazil, 32, Cathedral City, Calif., two children; Tessa Healy, 29, Renton, Wash.; Kara Davis, 29, West Seattle; Chelsea Davis, 23, Pullman, one child; Kyle Davis, 22, Renton, Wash.; Jessica Woodruff, 19, McMinnville, Ore.; Tori Davis, 19, Renton, Wash., and Kasey Woodruff, 15, University Place, Wash.
--In his comments, Rex mentioned his WSC Cougar men’s gymnastics coach, Hubert “Hubie” Dunn. The “Father of Collegiate Gymnastics” in the state of Washington, Dunn coached at WSU, 1947-1962. In 2006, Dunn was inducted into the WSU Athletic Hall of Fame.
PHOTOS:
--Thanks to Ryan Healey, a Rex and Alice grandson, for the great photos!
