The former men’s tennis head coach died July 10, 2019.

“He took his craft of coaching 100 percent seriously and was so interested in his players becoming the best players they could possibly be. And it’s the way he conducted his life,” said Kleber “K.C.” Miller ’79, a TCU tennis letterman.

“He loved his family, he loved his church, he loved his players, and he loved the game,” said Richard “Mark” Litzsinger ’78, who played as a freshman and sophomore. “He was out there every day hitting the ball, and we followed him by example.”

Before arriving at TCU in 1974, Bartzen was a top 10 singles player from 1953 to 1961. He won the Canadian National title in 1954 and four U.S. Clay Court championships. He competed in the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

His TCU teams were ranked nationally 19 times in a 20-year stretch, won over 500 matches and went to the NCAA Final Four in 1989. Today, the varsity tennis courts bear his name.

Former Athletic Director Frank Windegger ’57 said Bartzen put character first in recruiting players. “I don’t recall ever having a tennis player that I had a problem with as athletic director — always good students, good players, very coachable,” he said.

Although disciplined, Bartzen had a soft side. The coach would discreetly pay down-and-out acquaintances to wash his car, Miller said. He made up playful nicknames — his wife, Sara Jane, was “Bonzo,” and Miller’s initials were reversed to C.K. He enjoyed a joke as long as it was classy.

Above all, the coach, who retired in 1998, valued each player. “I was, like, No. 11” on the team, Litzsinger said, “but he created a sense that everybody was important.”