At 82, Billie Jean King earns Cal State LA history degree and inspires Class of 2026

Game, set, match.

Billie Jean King's marathon academic career concluded on Monday, May 18, when she received her Bachelor of Arts in History during the 5 p.m. Commencement ceremony for the College of Natural and Social Sciences. It took just 65 years.

The beloved tennis icon, equality champion, and arguably Cal State LA's most famous alumna celebrated her accomplishment by volleying signed tennis balls to her fellow graduates seated in the lower bowl of the Shrine Auditorium.

"More than 60 years have passed before I returned to the classroom to complete my degree in history," King said, addressing her fellow graduates. "Talk about delayed gratification, and I came back with a purpose. I had unfinished business, and it is important to me to finish what I started. I like completing things. It's like shaking hands at the net after a match."

King, 82, began her studies in 1961 when the college was still named Los Angeles State College. She left three years later before completing her degree to concentrate on her burgeoning professional tennis career.

That decision worked out pretty well for King.

Her storied tennis career included 12 Grand Slam singles championships (including five Wimbledon and four U.S. Open titles), 16 women's doubles titles, and 11 in mixed doubles. From 1966 to 1975, King finished ranked No. 1 in six of 10 year-end polls.

And now she has added another major accomplishment to her long list.

Earning her degree "means a lot more than I thought," she said. "I just don't think I understood the impact, the positive impact. Sometimes you think I'll try something and it'll be nice. This isn't nice, this is magnificent. My hope is that [I inspire even] one person to go back."

King was equally proud and excited for her fellow graduates, and drew inspiration from them as she was hitting balls into the audience.

"Each person, you don't know their journey, what they went through, and also what their families went through," King said.

King's own journey was displayed on the black-and-gold sash that she wore for Commencement. On one side it read G.O.A.T. Athlete accompanied by a graphic of a tennis racquet. The opposite side said BJK, B.A. History, Student, and 1961-2026.

King said the dates, representing the start and beginning of her academic career, were her favorite part of the sash.

King's influence extended beyond the court as championed for gender equality, LGBTQIA+ rights, and other social justice issues. In 1973, she famously testified in front of Congress on behalf of Title IX.

A year later, King scored a victory for women's equality when she defeated Bobby Riggs in the "Battle of the Sexes" exhibition, which was viewed live on TV by an audience of 50 million.

King's dedication to equality began about the same time she developed her love for tennis.

"At 12 years old I had an epiphany," she said. "I was sitting at the Los Angeles Tennis club. I noticed that everyone who played tennis wore white clothes and played with white balls, and everyone who played was white. I asked myself, 'Where is everybody else?' From that day forward, I committed my life to equality and inclusion for all. Tennis was a global sport and became my platform, but equality was my dream to make the world a better place. We can never understand inclusion unless we're excluded."

During Cal State LA's 50th anniversary celebration in 1997, the university and California State University bestowed on King an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in recognition of her athletic achievements and the distinction those accomplishments brought to her alma mater.

King is also the recipient of the United States' two highest civilian honors. In 2009, President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and in 2024 she became the first individual female athlete to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.

In 2025, she became the first woman to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame under the category of sports entertainment.

For 20 years, she hosted the Billie Jean King & Friends event at Cal State LA, raising more than $4.5 million for athletic scholarships.

King shared her decision to complete her degree during the unveiling ceremony of her bronze statue at Cal State LA in October 2024.

"It's never too late!" she said at the time.

"The value of a good education has always been important to me, and I learned a great deal while I was on this campus. At the time, my focus was really to be the greatest player in the world, No. 1 in the world, and to change the sport-from amateur to professional. We used to get $14 a day. That had to end. So, I left Cal State LA and went on a journey to make my sport better, to make a difference in the life of others. Tennis was my platform."

King, a first-generation student, mistakenly thought she had only completed two years of coursework during her initial time at the university, but research by her staff confirmed she was only one year away from graduating.

She re-enrolled and fulfilled her missing credits through remote courses. Her courseload included such classes as LGBT Political History in the United States, Historiography, and Gender and Historical Research and Writing. She even wrote an essay on a topic with which she is closely associated, Title IX.

"Her story is a powerful reminder to every student here today, and to generations of Golden Eagles to come, that determination, resilience, and lifelong learning can carry us further than we ever imagined," said Cal State President Berenecea Johnson Eanes.

King said a few universities approached her about completing her degree at their institution. She never considered any other university besides Cal State LA.

"Being back at where I started means a lot to me," she said.

This year's Commencement is celebrating more than 6,000 Cal State LA graduates over nine ceremonies, with three ceremonies each from Monday, May 18, to Wednesday, May 20.

Father Gregory Boyle, founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang-intervention, rehabilitation, and re-entry program in the world, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during the 9 a.m. Commencement ceremony on Monday.

Attorney and civic leader Omel Nieves will receive an Honorary Doctor of Law during the 1 p.m. ceremony on Wednesday for more than 35 years of leadership in the legal profession, commitment to student success, and enduring impact on communities across the San Gabriel Valley and beyond. He also serves as board president of the Cal State LA Foundation.

At the 5 p.m. ceremony on Wednesday, Capri Maddox, executive director of the Los Angeles Civil Rights Department and a double alumna of Cal State LA, will be honored with the Presidential Award.

California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 22,000 students and has more than 260,000 distinguished alumni.