AUSTIN, Texas (SMU) – Former SMU men's tennis head coach Dennis Ralston passed away Sunday morning, surrounded by loved ones in Austin, Texas.

Ralston coached the Mustangs from 1981-1989 and again from 1991-93, and was inducted into the SMU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015. SMU won five conference championships and more than 200 events under his leadership. In 1983, SMU finished the season ranked No. 2 in the country, one of six straight top-six national finishes.

He was named NCAA Coach of the Year after the 1983 season, which is still the highest-ranking finish in program history. Ralston was named Southwest Conference Coach of the Year twice. As a player, he won five Grand Slam doubles tournaments, including three U.S. Opens, and advanced to the Wimbledon singles finals in 1966. Ralston is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

"The tennis world and the SMU family lost a giant this morning in Austin, Texas, surrounded by loved ones. Coach Ralston has been so supportive of our program, and was constantly asking for updates on the team and the players," SMU head coach Grant Chen said.

Ralston is survived by his wife, Linda, and three children, Mike, Lori and Angela.