Joe Dehner, Class of 1966

Tennis
Joe was an outstanding tennis player at Withrow. During his sophomore year,  Withrow’s team won the PHSL championship and Joe advanced to the District doubles semi-finals before losing. His junior year the team won the PHSL again and Joe won the district doubles semi-finals with teammate George Mehl. Joe and George advanced to the State doubles finals where they lost a close match 6-4, 6-3. During Joe’s senior year, the team won the PHSL championship again,and he teamed with fellow Tiger Ron Lague to win the district doubles competition again and advance to the State matches. He was again State runner-up in the doubles competition, losing 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. Joe was also Ohio Valley singles champion at the 14, 16, and 18 age levels and the Greater Cincinnati Metropolitan singles and double champion at the same levels. After graduation Joe went on to Princeton University where he played his freshman and sophomore years on their Ivy League championship team. After Princeton, Joe graduated from Harvard Law School. Returning to Cincinnati, he was the Greater Cincinnati Metropolitan singles champion in 1977 and 1978 and runner-up in 1982. He won several regional professional tournaments from 1977 to 1981. Joe was the founder and first President of the Greater Cincinnati Tennis Association. Joe has been involved with the Withrow Alumni since the 1980’s restoration of the bridge and he has been a member of the Withrow Alumni Board of Trustees since its inception in 1995.