Billie Jean King Earns College Degree at 82, 65 Years After Enrolling

Tennis icon and equality champion Billie Jean King received a Bachelor of Arts in History from Cal State LA on May 18, 2026. The graduation marks the conclusion of an academic journey that began 65 years ago.

King, 82, participated in the 5 p.m. Commencement ceremony for the College of Natural and Social Sciences held at the Shrine Auditorium. During the event, she celebrated the achievement by volleying signed tennis balls to fellow graduates in the lower bowl of the venue.

A Six-Decade Academic Journey

King first enrolled in the institution in 1961, when it was known as Los Angeles State College. She remained a student for three years before departing to prioritize her professional tennis career.

That transition led to a storied athletic career. King secured 12 Grand Slam singles championships, which included four U.S. Open titles and five Wimbledon titles. Her professional record also includes 11 mixed doubles titles and 16 women’s doubles titles.

Despite her global success in sports and advocacy, King returned to the classroom to complete the degree she had started decades earlier.

Talk about delayed gratification, and I came back with a purpose. I had unfinished business, and We see important to me to finish what I started. I like completing things. It’s like shaking hands at the net after a match.

Billie Jean King

Returning to the Classroom

Addressing the Class of 2026, King acknowledged the significant time gap between her initial enrollment and her graduation, noting that more than 60 years have passed before I returned to the classroom to complete my degree in history.

The completion of the degree serves as a personal milestone for the athlete, who is regarded as one of Cal State LA’s most prominent alumnae.