San Antonio – Trinity University Tigers
first-year coach Russell McMindes and sophomore player Max Frey
swept the top men's tennis awards of the Southern Collegiate
Athletic Conference.
McMindes was named SCAC Men's Tennis Coach of the Year,
and Frey was elected SCAC Men's Player of the Year, for the
second straight time.
Voting was conducted among SCAC tennis coaches.
Trinity, ranked 13th in the NCAA Division III, beat DePauw 5-3
in the SCAC Championship match at North Little Rock, Ark. The
Tigers last won the title in 2006. Trinity, ranked No. 5 in the
West Region, played in its 19th consecutive SCAC Championship
match, and won its 15th conference crown.
McMindes, a former Tiger player, compiled a 16-9 record (12-4
against Division III teams) in his first season as head coach. He
guided Trinity to its 17th NCAA Tournament,
starting with a regional May 14-16. Bids for the team tournament
will be announced May 10. Trinity is ranked No. 5 in the West
Region, and is 12-4 against Division III opponents. The NCAA
Championships are slated for May 25-27 (team) and 28-30 (singles
and doubles) at Oberlin, Ohio.
Frey, from Tulsa, Oka. (Holland Hall), posted a 14-8 singles
record (21-4 doubles) and beat two Division II players during the
season. Last fall, Frey advanced to the finals of the
Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division III Southwest
Region championship. He is the 13th Trinity player to be named SCAC
Player of the Year, and the fourth men's player in SCAC
history to win the award in consecutive seasons. Frey is ranked
fourth in singles in the West Region.
Junior Bobby Cocanougher of Southlake, Texas (Carroll), made the
All-SCAC Team for the second consecutive time. Cocanougher is
ranked No. 17 in the West Region. Cory Kowal, a junior from Austin,
Texas (Anderson), was selected for the All-SCAC Honorable Mention
Team. Kowal holds a regional ranking of No. 29.
Cocanougher and Kowal are ranked third in West Region doubles.
