UIS Athletics honors and celebrates the life and legacy of Hall of Fame women's tennis coach Dominic Giacomini, who passed away Feb. 19 at the age of 91.

Dominic took over as the Sangamon State coach in 1991 and led the Prairie Stars through 2007, guiding the program for 16 seasons.

Under his direction, the Stars won 177 matches and captured eight NAIA regional titles. When the NAIA Tournament transitioned to a team format in 2000, he guided UIS to its first appearance in the championship event and returned again in 2004.

Alongside his wife, Patricia, Dominic hosted the Giacomini Tennis Academy each summer for more than 35 years. Even beyond that time, he was never far from the tennis courts. Just two years ago, he and his family helped run a summer YMCA camp with the support of several UIS tennis student-athletes.

Prior to UIS, Dominic coached at Ursuline Academy and Lincoln Land. He began coaching women's tennis to instruct his daughters' teams. He was a dedicated father of seven children, Patrick, Christine, Tom, Michelle, Lisa, Angie, and Nick.

Dominic was a member of the second class inducted into the UIS Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015. One of his standout players, All-American Carla Jimenez Mills, was part of the inaugural Hall of Fame class in 2014. He brought lasting pride to the UIS women's tennis program, the second sport established at Sangamon State, which began competition in fall 1979.

UIS Athletics extends its heartfelt condolences to the Giacomini family while honoring the lasting impact Dominic made on generations of Prairie Stars.

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