Sport in the Calgaard Era

Of Ronald Calgaard women’s volleyball coach Julie Jenkins said, “Most people who have been here as long as I have…would also say that he had the biggest influence on this university, period (2019).” Tennis was most often associated with Trinity sports in the 1970s. Current students will be quick to mention that Trinity no longer offers tennis athletic scholarships, makes use of its many tennis courts, or boasts a Division 1 tennis team. The catalyst for these changes was former Trinity President Ronald Calgaard. His policies created a lot of controversy among students, faculty, alumni, and administration. While Calgaard’s interpretation of ‘liberal arts’ seemed to come at a cost to athletics, his new vision for Trinity ultimately proved beneficial to the importance and popularity of sports from 1985 - 1995.