CHARLESTON, W.Va – Marshall University President Brad Smith and First Lady Alys Smith are set to draw a crowd to this year’s Marshall University Open Tennis Tournament, hosting “An Evening with Brad and Alys Smith” at the Charleston Tennis Center this Friday night.
The event serves as an informal night to get to know the Smiths and as the kickoff to the 37th annual tournament.
“In conjunction with the first night of the tournament, Brad and Alys have agreed to come up and have a reception with anyone. It’s not just for alumni—anyone that wants to come,” tournament organizer Rusty Webb said Monday on 580 Live with Dave Allen.
Marshall’s national championship-winning men’s soccer coach Chris Grassie is scheduled to be the event’s special guest, while his wife Allison is scheduled to be Webb’s mixed doubles partner during the tournament.
Thundering Herd alumni and supporters are already buzzing for the opportunity to mingle with the Smiths and Grassies in a casual setting. The event was announced just last week and is already filled to capacity.
“I have to limit it. I can’t bring 1000 people. It sold out in a heartbeat, or at least RSVPed in a heartbeat, because Brad and Alys are just rockstars,” Webb said.
Webb credits the work Brad Smith has done at Marshall since taking the president’s office in 2022 as the driving force behind improvements across campus. He believes people outside the university are starting to take notice too.
“I’ve had total strangers or people that are acquaintances that’ll come up to me and say, ‘Man, that Marshall University, it is going! That Brad Smith is something else,’ and I say, ‘Yeah, he is,'” Webb said.
This year marks the first time that the Marshall University Open Tennis Tournament is being held at the Charleston Tennis Center after 36 years at the YMCA. Donations contributed by those attending “An Evening with Brad and Alys Smith” go directly to supporting the Marshall University tennis program.