Dix Family Gift Supports
Tennis Program at Defiance College

New indoor courts to be built; outdoor courts to be upgraded

DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance College tennis program will receive a tremendous boost in Fall 2011 with the addition of four indoor tennis courts and upgrading of the outdoor E. Stevens Dix Tennis Facility, made possible through gifts from Katharine Dix and family totaling $137,000.

The indoor courts are part of the new Defiance College Athletic Center currently under construction. The project also includes resurfacing of six outdoor courts located on the college’s athletic complex on Webster Street.

“We very much appreciate the continuing generosity of the Dix family,” said DC president Mark C. Gordon. “We are thrilled that we will now be able to upgrade the outdoor E. Stevens Dix Tennis Facility, and we look forward to the formal dedication of the new Dix Tennis Courts once our new Athletic Center is completed.”

The indoor courts will be constructed of semi-encapsulated polyurethane. The outdoor courts will be fitted with a rubberized material to provide a longer-lasting, comfortable playing surface.

Defiance College’s intercollegiate athletic program includes men’s and women’s tennis teams competing in NCAA Division III and the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Steve Oberlin, head coach of the men’s and women’s teams, said he is looking forward to the new courts and feels they will help the programs in many different ways.

“The new courts, both outside and inside, will give Defiance College tennis some of the nicest facilities in NCAA Division III,” said Oberlin. “It should really help with the recruiting process, as I can’t wait to show what DC is doing for our sport and how much has been invested into our teams. Not only will we have nice indoor courts to play on and train on during the winter, but we will also have brand new outdoor courts. I cannot thank the Dix family enough for all they have done for DC tennis."

Former Defiance resident Katharine Dix, and her husband, the late Gordon C. Dix, have a long tradition of supporting Defiance College, its students and programs. In 1998, they funded construction of the E. Stevens Dix Tennis Facility in memory of their son, Steve. They have also supported Defiance College with creation of the E. Stevens Dix Lectureship as well as a scholarship fund, and ongoing support through the Annual Fund and special projects.

“The Dix family support of this educational community speaks to a tradition that is inspiring for our current students and something that will have impact for the future,” said President Gordon.

Gordon Dix was a longtime publisher of The Crescent-News, Defiance, Ohio’s daily newspaper, and part of Dix Communications. He died in 2005 at the age of 90. Katharine Dix now lives in Sebring, Ohio, near her son, G. Charles (Chuck) Dix II of Hartville, Ohio. He is president of Dix Communications which operates newspapers in Ohio and Kentucky, including The Crescent-News, and radio stations in Ohio, Maryland and Florida.

Defiance College, chartered in 1850, is an independent, liberal arts institution in Northwest Ohio offering more than 40 undergraduate programs of study as well as graduate programs in education and business. Defiance College has received national recognition for its educational experience of service and engagement. The college website is www.defiance.edu.

March 28, 2011