UNLV to honor Lois Tarkanian by adding her name to Thomas & Mack Center court

Lois Tarkanian holds her husband Jerry Tarkanian's hand after he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Sunday, Sept. 8, 2013 in Springfield, Mass. Photo by: Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun

The basketball court at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center will be renamed to honor both legendary coach Jerry Tarkanian and his wife, Lois, the university said this morning in a news release.

The court, which has borne only Jerry Tarkanian’s name since 2005, will be rededicated as the Jerry and Lois Tarkanian Court during a pregame ceremony Nov. 4 ahead of the Rebels’ opener with UT-Martin.

The timing is particularly meaningful — Nov. 4 marks what would have been the couple’s wedding anniversary.

“This rededication is about paying respect and honoring The First Family of UNLV basketball,” said Erick Harper, UNLV’s athletics director in a statement. “Coach Tarkanian’s name is synonymous with the glory days of the Runnin’ Rebels, while Lois was the heart of their partnership and also a giant in our community.”

Jerry Tarkanian coached UNLV to four Final Four appearances and the 1990 NCAA Championship during a tenure that made the Runnin’ Rebels a national powerhouse. But while “Tark” built his legacy on the hardwood, Lois carved out her own path as an educator and public servant.

Dr. Lois Tarkanian served on the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents, where she championed student access and success initiatives. She also founded educational programs for deaf and hard-of-hearing students and served on the Las Vegas City Council.

“This tribute means the world to us – not only because it recognizes our father’s legacy as a coach, but also because it includes our mother’s unwavering support and dedication that was instrumental to his success,” the Tarkanian family said in a statement.

Coach Tarkanian died in 2015. Lois passed away in 2024 at age 90, nearly a decade after her husband.

If it weren’t for Lois Tarkanian mentoring the players behind the scenes, none of the program's success would have been possible, said Eldridge Hudson, a player on UNLV’s 1987 Final Four team who after his playing days remained close with Lois Takanian.

“That’s a special lady. I hope God blesses me to be 90,” Hudson said, fighting back tears. “She was the backbone to everything — him, us, everything. She just did it.

“She was a stickler for education and always checking to make sure we were going to class. She was a beautiful woman on a beautiful mission to mentor young people.”

Jerry Tarkanian in 2013 was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, saying it was a family accomplishment because of Lois’ work raising their four children and being present for the players, many of whom were living away from home for the first time.

“No matter what, she had our backs,” Hudson said. “She gave us unconditional love.”