UNA MEN'S TENNIS HISTORY
The University
of North Alabama men's tennis program began
in 1932 under coach Eddie Flowers. While he
was head coach the Lions won the school's
first championship - the Mississippi Valley
Conference Championship in 1936. Flowers
remained as tennis coach until 1948. Over
the years the men's tennis team has made two
NAIA National Tournament appearances and won
the Alabama Collegiate Conference
championship in 1957 and 1959. The Lions
were also Gulf South Conference Champions in
1981.
More recently,
the Lions have made appearances in the NCAA
Division II Regional championships ten times
since 1995, including nine of the last ten
seasons. Former Lion coach Brice Bishop
played tennis for the Lions and was the Gulf
South Conference singles champion in 1984
and 1985. Bishop was also UNA's first NCAA
Division II All-American in 1985. Rickard
Nilsson also received All-American
recognition in 1990. Current Lion coach Al
Morgan is the 19th head coach in UNA's
75-year tennis history. The longest tenures
of any Lion tennis coaches were those of
Eddie Flowers (1932-48) and Larry Thompson
(1981-97), who coached UNA tennis teams for
17 seasons each. The UNA men's program has
become a regular participant in the NCAA
Division II National Tournament. The Lions
have appeared in the NCAA Tournament in
1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2004,
2005, 2006 and 2007.
MEN'S HISTORY
FIRST YEAR OF
MEN'S TENNIS: 1932
GSC
CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1981
INDIVIDUALS IN
NCAA TOURNAMENT: 1985, 1988, 1990 TEAM IN
NCAA REGIONAL TOURNAMENT: 1995, 1997, 1998,
1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
TEAM IN NAIA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT: 1957, 1959
UNA WOMEN'S TENNIS HISTORY
The University
of North Alabama women's tennis program
began in 1975 under coach Nancy Vance. In
recent years, members of the UNA women's
tennis program have earned All-Gulf South
Conference honors, and Academic All-Gulf
South Conference awards, while also being
selected for the GSC Sportsmanship award and
the GSC Freshman of the Year award. In 1987,
Kimi Juergens and Yvette Butler earned
All-Gulf South Conference honors while
helping lead the Lions to the GSC team
championship.
Former head
coaches Sharman Coley and Kevin Bradford
were named Gulf South Conference Coach of
the Year in 1987 and 1992, respectively. The
Lions have advanced to the NCAA Division II
South Regional Tournament the last nine
years in a row (1999-2007).
WOMEN'S HISTORY
FIRST YEAR OF
WOMEN'S TENNIS: 1975
GSC
CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1987
TEAM IN NCAA
REGIONAL TOURNAMENT: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002,
2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
