MARSHALL, Minn. - Southwest Minnesota State University is celebrating 50 years during the 2017-18 academic year.
During the next few months, SMSU Athletics will take a look back and fondly remember some of the most memorable events, teams, coaches and student-athletes over the past 50 years.
This week, the
1990 women's tennis team:
The 1990 women's tennis team was one of the best in school history, earning its seventh straight conference championship and its eighth straight NAIA District 13 championship. The team concluded the season with an 11th place finish at the NAIA national championships, the highest in school history.
SMSU finished with a 12-3 dual record and had six players named all-conference and all-district. SMSU's three dual losses came against Division III national champion, Gustavus, and two Division I members, Iowa State and Drake. SMSU was ranked year-long in the Volvo Tennis/ITCA poll, reaching ninth on one occasion.
Leslie Jacobsen and Josiene Eggens were named NAIA first team All-Americans, while head coach Hugh Curtler was not only named conference and district coach of the year, he was named the Wilson/ITCA National Coach of the Year.
Jacobsen and Eggens entered the NAIA Championships seeded 15
th, but won a pair of matches before losing in the quarterfinals to the top-seeded doubles team from Flagler (Fla.).
Jacobsen was seeded No. 32 in singles at the NAIA Championships and after receiving a first-round bye, she won two straight matches before losing in the round of 32.
Jacobsen and Martha Garzon spent the entire season ranked in the ITCA NAIA rankings, while Eggens cracked the national rankings late in the season. It was the first time three SMSU players where ranked in one poll.
The 1990 coaching staff and team members include Hugh Curtler (head coach), Marianne Zarzana (assistant coach), Josiene Eggens, Minnamaria Enavuo, Marthan Garzon, Suzie Hintz, Leslie Jacobsen, Amy Pivec, and Monica Velez.
The team was inducted into the SMSU Athletics Hall of Honor in 2000.
