The Beginning of a Dynasty: The History of Trinity Tennis

This exhibit will take you through the history of Trinity tennis starting at its first National Championship. It will explore the transition from Division I to Division III and conclude with a summary of the program up until the present.

“‘I’ve never heard my name chanted before, and when I won, it was the greatest feeling I’ve ever had on tennis court’” (Neyland, 1978, p. 10). Star Trinity tennis player Larry Gottfried explained his emotions after a monumental win over Wimbledon semi-finalist and freshman, Stanford standout John McEnroe (Neyland, 1978, p. 10). The two played at the number one singles spot after Stanford swept the doubles winning all three matches (Spaeth, 1978, p. 6). The history of Trinity tennis is full of standout players and championship teams, and this match is just one example of the dynasty that this Division I Trinity tennis program built.