TENNIS REVIVAL

After five years of not fielding interscholastic tennis, McPherson College took to the courts with the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year.

Under the direction of J.D. Gravina, the goal of the Bulldog men and women is to recapture their rightful place among the KCAC’s elite, a position they held consistently in the 1970’s and ‘80’s under coaches Dr. Doris Coppock and Jerry Holman.

"College tennis was the greatest," states Dr. Mark Melhorn ‘75, "playing, winning, and the friendships developed."

"I have continued to play tennis competitively in the USTA League Divisions and was recently on the national championship team. I hope to play until I am 100, and I hope others will have the same opportunity at McPherson College."

"I am delighted that the College is starting up the tennis program again," said Dr. Doris Coppock.

"Tennis has perhaps the greatest carry-over value of any sport, and time has supported that students who compete in tennis are quite high academically."

MEN’S TENNIS

In 1972, Jerry Holman took over as head coach of the McPherson College men’s program and directed the Bulldogs to a fourth place finish in the conference. But, that was just the beginning.

Holman felt his team needed to face good competition week-in and week-out if it was to improve, and with that philosophy in mind, he increased the level of competition his teams would face year-by-year.

Playing a schedule to would include Washburn, Fort Hays State, and Emporia State on a regular basis, Holman would see his Bulldog men go on to post three straight third place finishes.

In 1975, Holman added Kansas State (University) to the schedule and the Bulldogs would go on to tie for the ACCK crown before finishing third in the KCAC as Mark Melhorn brought home the #3 singles crown and Steve Burkholder combined with Melhorn to win the #1 doubles title.

With Wichita State and Phillips now on the docket, the 1976 Bulldogs finally broke through to take home the silver cup from the KCAC meet behind conference titles from freshman Craig Holman at #1 singles and Steve Burkholder at #3 singles, after again tying Bethany for the ACCK title.

1977 saw the Bulldogs again finish second as Craig Holman would win his second KCAC #1 singles title while Marty Ward (#2), Doug Brehm (#5), and Tracy Ikenberry (#6) were all runner-ups as was the doubles team of Brehm and Ikenberry.

Inching ever closer to its intra-county rival, all but one spot in the 1978 KCAC tournament finals was filled by a Bulldog or a Swede. And, in the end, it was another second place finish for the Bulldogs as only Craig Holman at #1 singles could come home with a title as Marty Ward (#2), Doug Gayer (#3), Tracy Ikenberry (#5), and LaMonte Rothrock (#6) would finish second as would the doubles teams of Gayer and Ward (#1), Holman and Rothrock (#2), and John Hoffman and Ikenberry (#3).

With a non-conference schedule which included Missouri Western, Baker, Kansas State, Fort Hays, Kearney, Emporia State, Washburn, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the 1979 Bulldogs knew their preparation was top notch. The final result of the conference championships was the same though as the Bulldogs finished second, only this year it was Danny Leddy coming home with the KCAC title at the #3 spot as Holman was upset in his final KCAC match. Doug Gayer (#2), LaMonte Rothrock (#4), Tracy Ikenberry (#5), and John Hoffman (#6) all finished second as did the doubles teams of Holman and Gayer, Leddy and Rothrock, and Hoffman and Ikenberry.

With the championship #1 doubles team of Doug Gayer and Danny Leddy leading the way, the 1980 Bulldogs again finished second in the KCAC. Gayer (#1), Leddy (#2), and Jeff Crist (#6) each placed second in singles.

The Bulldogs string of conference runner-up finishes ended in 1981 as McPherson slipped to third. Gayer ended his collegiate career with another silver medal finish at #1 singles while Wally Roberts was second in the #3 spot.

While the team finishes haven’t been as high, individuals and doubles teams have still placed well. Wally Roberts won the 1983 #3 singles title, then combined with Clayton Allen to grab silver at #2 doubles.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

After playing as a club sport for several years, the women’s tennis program became an official interscholastic sport in the early 1970’s. It didn’t take long for the Lady Bulldogs to become a conference and state power under the direction of Dr. Doris Coppock, a pioneer in the development of intercollegiate women’s athletics and later to be named to the NAIA Hall of Fame.

The Lady Bulldogs made their first big splash on the intercollegiate scene in 1972, compiling a 7-0 dual match record before winning the KAIAW (Kansas Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) crown over Fort Hays State and Kansas State. Susan Burkholder, playing #4 singles, would finish the season undefeated while Laura Sundahl’s only defeat would come in the state tournament semifinals.

In 1974, after sweeping through the ACCK tournament by winning five of six single titles and two of three double crowns, McPherson finished second in the state KAIAW tournament to Fort Hays. Laura Sundahl finished the undefeated as the Bulldogs’ #1 singles and was joined by Jan Foley (#2 singles) and Cece Zavala (#5) as state champions.

Again in the 1975, the Lady Bulldogs ran away with the ACCK crown, winning four of nine brackets and reaching the semifinals of four of the other five. At the first KCAC championships, Ann Lobban would conclude an undefeated season by winning the #3 singles crown, then combining with Lisa Gaskill to win the #2 doubles title. McPherson would finish second at those initial conference championships as Karin Burkholder (#2), Cindy Andsager (#4), and Janice Cordell (#6) would place second in singles while Burkholder and Andsager was finish second at #1 doubles.

Following its win of another ACCK title, McPherson would grab its first KCAC team title in 1976 as Lisa Gaskill (#1), Karen Burkholder (#2), and Ann Lobban (#3) would take singles titles while Lobban would team with Lori Nelzen to win the #3 double crown.

Another second KCAC title would follow in1977 as Lisa Gaskill (#1), Ann Lobban (#3), and Janice Monk (#6) would win singles titles while Janice Monk and Judy Oard would team for the #3 doubles title. Lobban and Janis Cordell would finish second as the Bulldogs’ #2 double team. At the KAIAW, Gaskill (#1), Karen Burkholder (#2), Janis Cordell (#4), Roxanne Hill (#5), and Monk (#6) would all finish second in their respective singles division, and all three doubles teams would end their season as state runners-up as the Lady Bulldogs would finish the season as team runner-up to Fort Hays State among Kansas colleges.

From 1982 through 1989, the Lady Bulldogs were consistently battling for a spot among the elite in the KCAC, with top three place finishes in 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, and topped by a runner-up finish in 1989.