Bio

1991 tennis team regarded as one of the best in school history

The 1991 Cowley College Tiger men’s tennis team proved that not only were they arguably one of the best in the school's history, but they were also the best junior college team in the nation as they won the NJCAA Division II National Tennis Tournament.

Leading up to the 1991 title team, legendary tennis coach Larry Grose had just come on board in January of 1988 as the head men’s and women’s tennis coach when he was told Cowley needed to choose between playing at the NJCAA Division I or II levels.

“I knew that our Region VI was a partial scholarship conference, and the presidents and A.D.'s had no desire to add more expense to their already financially stressed athletic programs, so by going Division I, it would do just that,” Grose said. “For that reason, I said, “Let’s go Division II” It turned out to be one of the best decisions of my career.”                             

The second significant event that set the stage for the formation of the 1991 team occurred in the NJCAA Coach’s meeting in 1990. The president said, “next year, every team will be limited to two international players.” Well, the room erupted as coaches screamed out boldly, “You can’t do that to us! We have already recruited international players on our teams, and it is unfair to the student-athlete or the programs.”

The president, thinking fast on his feet and seeing the pushback, came up with a quick-fix plan. He decided that they would allow the schools to “grandfather” those players and give the institutions time to push them through the programs on the premise that they would be replaced with American players. What it did was legally allow teams to fill out their rosters with internationals.

At the 1990 NJCAA Tennis Tournament, the Navarro (TX) College coach announced that his school was dismantling its tennis program and wanted to help place his players at other schools.

“I took Chris (Patience) Richards from the island of Antigua,” Grose said. “He was a student at the legendary John Newcombe Academy in Brunsville, Texas. I quickly saw he was an outstanding tennis player. Besides committing to transfer, he did another special act for the Cowley tennis program. He said, “Coach, do you have any scholarships left”?  “I have a player for you. My cousin, Gavaska (Bounce) Williams”. He was going to the University of Texas, but at the last minute, they discovered he was a ½ credit short and must go to a junior college and get his associate degree.

“Having to make a quick decision, I said I will find a scholarship,” Grose said. “It turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. Bounce turned out to be the best player I ever coached. Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good.”                                                                   

The next lucky break that came Grose’s way was a player from Columbus, Ohio, and “The Rick Macci Academy,” which was one of the top academies in the United States. Upon arrival at the Academy, Grose found out every player had committed to a school but one person, Mike Klatt.  

“After recruiting him, I hadn’t heard from him all summer and had given up hope on his coming to Cowley,” Grose said. “A few days before school began, I got a call telling me he was coming. I was elated. I had three academy players from two of the best-recognized programs in the USA/World.”                 

Grose later received a call from the legendary tennis coach, Bernis Duke, at Oral Roberts University, who said he had a nice player he wanted to send Cowley’s way.

“I took his player, Godwin Madzima from Zimbabwe, Africa, who turned out to be a very good fit for our team,” Grose said. “A good player and a better human being.”                                 

To round out the team, Grose had coming back from the 1990 squad Mick Evens, from Sidney Australia. The 1990 team won the Region VI tournament and took third at the NJCAA National Tournament. Grose also had three additional recruits Todd Jarmello, Todd Clutter, and James Wilson.

Just when Grose thought his recruiting was over, he got a surprise call from Cornelius Jordan, who had spent his freshman year at Huntington Junior College in Indiana.

“Our team was loaded, but I told him if he wanted to come and try to make our team, he was welcome,” Grose said. “He came and made the team and was a welcome last-minute addition.”

With all of this talent assembled, the squad went on to become the only team in Coach Grose’s 19 years at Cowley to be ranked No. 1 from the first fall ranking to the last spring ranking.

In the spring, Cowley won every small college dual match. Mark Roswell, the legendary coach of the very strong NCAA Division II program, Northwest Missouri State, said after the 1991 team gave his guy’s a shellacking, “Goose, that is the best dang junior college team I have ever seen in my 30-plus years of coaching”.

At the Region VI Tournament, Cowley won all six singles flights and all three doubles flights.

At the five-day NJCAA National Tournament, every member of the squad made it to the round of 16s or further. Bounce Williams won the No. 1 flight singles and No. 1 flight doubles with his cousin Chris (Patience) Richards. Mike Klatt and Mick Evens also performed well and were finalists at No. 2 flight doubles. 

“Everyone carried their share of the load to take us to the promised land,” Grose said.        

The 1991 team had three players go on to play for NCAA Division I programs on tennis scholarships. Bounce Williams went to the University of Arkansas, where he and his doubles partner were ranked third in the NCAA, and the “Razorbacks” were ranked 11th in the final poll. Chris (Patience) Richards went on to North Texas State and had a stellar career, while Mike Klatt went to Southwest Missouri State and played for the legendary Jim Klousia.

Cornelius Jordan and Godwin Madzima went straight into professional teaching, while the remaining members of the squad have all done well after leaving Cowley.

“The 1991 team made its mark, and it has been recorded in the history books,” Grose said. “They carried the torch for all the teams before and after them. Not only did they make it to the finish line, but they also brought home the NJCAA national championship trophy that is in the trophy case inside W.S. Scott Auditorium. Their induction will be, for me, a great honor, and I know the players are excited about making the journey back to “Tiger Territory” for the ceremony.”