Bruce Kleege

Height: 6-2 Weight: 185 Roster Years: 1972-1977 Hometown: La Jolla, CA

2007 Hall of Fame Inductee

When men's tennis player Bruce Kleege won the No. 1 singles conference championship in 1977 it was the end of a perfect year. That year he went undefeated, including both regular season and several tournaments, and finished ranked No. 6 in the nation. 

During Kleege's collegiate career, the Cougar team was ranked nationally in the top 20. As a result Kleege always competed against the best and fared well throughout his time at BYU. Kleege qualified all four years for the NCAA Tournament. He went 11-6 overall as both a freshman and sophomore and owned a 14-2 tournament record as a senior. 

Unfortunately Kleege was forced to sit out in 1975 due to injury. It was difficult for him being at the top of his game to sit out, but he recovered and made a strong comeback the next year. In 1976, Kleege won the Western Athletic Conference Championship title in both singles and doubles. That same year he was named All-American in singles and doubles (with Mike Nissley). 

In 1977, Kleege was named again as an ITCA Singles All-American. Kleege is one of only 14 Cougars on the men's tennis team to be named All-American. 

Upon graduation in 1977 with a degree in business management, Kleege turned professional. That same year he won the Prince Rookie Pro Circuit and qualified to join the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour, achieving Division I ATP status in his first professional year. 

Kleege competed as a touring tennis professional between 1978 and 1984, reaching a world ranking in the top 100. He earned an ATP ranking as high as 148 in singles and 187 in doubles and went on to win two Grand Prix ATP tour events. 

During his professional career, Kleege participated in several prestigious tournaments. He competed in both the 1983 U.S Open and at the 1983 Championships at Wimbledon. 

A moment that will always live with Kleege was a time when he didn't even win the match. In 1979 Kleege faced and lost to the great Arthur Ashe in Ashe's last professional tournament during the opening round of the Australian Open. It meant a lot for Kleege to play against such a respected tennis player. Kleege later returned to the Australian Open, in 1982 advancing to the third round in singles. 

The next year Kleege scored a stunning upset as he defeated the 14th-ranked player at the Miller Hall of Fame Tournament. 

Kleege retired from his professional tennis career in 1984 and started a real estate investment company in southern California. He has been the sponsor of two athletic benefit tournaments, helping underprivileged children and military enlistees. He married Brenda Ball in 2001, and together they were blessed with twin boys in January 2007. 

Personal

• Born in November of 1954 in Germany
• Got his start in tennis at age 10
• B.S. in business management from BYU in 1977
• Married to Brenda Ball and they have twin boys

Career Highlights

• Won the Western Athletic Conference championship in both singles and doubles his senior year
• Named All-American in singles and doubles (with Mike Nissley) his senior year
• Went undefeated, including both regular season and several tournaments his senior year
• Finished ranked No. 6 in the nation his senior year
• Qualified all four years for the NCAA tournament

Before BYU

• Attended Clairemont High School in La Jolla
• Was all-CIF for two years and won CIF doubles
• High school team was acclaimed No. 1 in the nation

After BYU

• Turned professional in 1977
• Competed as a touring tennis professional between 1978 and 1984
• Competed in both the 1983 U.S. Open and the 1983 Championships at Wimbledon
• Retired from his professional tennis career in 1984
• Started a real estate investment company in Southern California

Post BYU Honors and Societies 

• Won the Prince Rookie Pro Circuit and qualified to join the Association of Tennis Professionals Tourn
• Achieved Division I ATP status in his professional year
• Reachined a world ranking in the top 100
• Earned an ATP ranking as high as 148 in singles and 187 in doubles and went on to win two Grand Prix ATP tour events
• Faced and lost to the great Arthur Ashe in Ashe's last professional tournament during the opening round of the Australian Open
• Advanced to the third round in singles in the Australian Open
• He competed in both the 1983 U.S Open and at the 1983 Championships at Wimbledon
• Scored a stunning upset, defeating the 14th-ranked player at the Miller Hall of Fame tournament
• Has been the sponsor of two athletic benefit tournaments, helping underprivileged children and military enlistees
• Inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame in 2007