Al Laveson
Hawk Hall of Famer Al Laveson returns for his 29th season with the women’s tennis program at Saint Joseph’s University, and second as head coach emeritus. The 1953 Temple graduate compiled a 495-552 overall record in 44 seasons with both Hawk tennis teams, setting the Saint Joseph’s mark for most wins by any coach in Hawk history. During his 27 seasons at the helm of the women’s tennis team, Laveson guided Saint Joseph’s to a 184-200 record, while coaching the men’s squad to a 311-352 record over 44 years.
In 2006-07, Laveson coached one of his best teams, as the Hawks set a single-season record for wins, finishing the year 12-10, including a tie for 11th at the Atlantic 10 Championships. Along the way, Stephania Velazquez became only the second Saint Joseph’s player to earn A-10 All-Conference honors, as SJU’s top player earned Second Team accolades. With Velazquez leading the way at No. 1 singles, Laveson guided Jhennifer Kedzierski to a record-setting season at No. 2 singles. The rookie, Kedzierski, became the all-time wins leader at the No. 2 flight and set a single-season record for victories with 16. Several other records fell during the season as Krysta Contino became the all-time leader in wins at No. 5 singles (10) and Gina DiGiacomo moved into the top-five for all-time wins at No. 4 singles with 11.
During the 2004-05 campaign, Laveson helped the Hawks to match their best Atlantic 10 finish in six years, placing ninth. He guided the women’s tennis program to three 10-win seasons and began his career with the women’s team with eight consecutive winning seasons.
Laveson, who was inducted into the Saint Joseph’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001, was the first Hawk mentor to reach 400 career wins with a men’s tennis victory over Towson in the fall of 2002. He became only the second Hawk coach to reach the 300-win plateau in 1994, joining the legendary Bill Ferguson, who guided the Hawk basketball team to 309 victories over 25 years.
Captain of the Temple tennis team as a collegiate player, Laveson has been teaching professionally for the United States Professional Tennis Association for the past 42 years. He is also a past vice president of the organization.
Laveson retired from his full-time teaching position at Central High School in Philadelphia just before the 1994 season. Prior to his arrival at Central in 1987, he taught for 33 years at Penn Treaty Junior High School. Besides coaching at Saint Joseph’s, Laveson coached the boys’ tennis team at Father Judge High School for two years in the early 1960s. He won City Championships in badminton and tennis at Central, along with a gymnastics title while at Penn Treaty. Laveson also coached girls’ field hockey at Central.
Laveson, who resides in Philadelphia, is the father of three sons, Bob, Dave, and Peter. The two eldest sons were both Saint Joseph’s tennis team captains under their father.
