Browse Exhibits

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.

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.

The introduction of Lee Roy as Trinity’s live mascot began an era marked by storied traditions and immense school pride, the legacy of which can still be seen on campus today. This exhibit will explore the history of Trinity University’s mascot, from introduction to retirement.

Larry Jeffries achieved an unprecedented amount of success as a Trinity Basketball player, reaching consensus First Team All-American status as a Senior. However, because of Trinity's status as a Division 3 institution, Jeffries' legacy remains unknown to most tiger fans. Like most Trinity Athletic heroes, Jeffries' story fell through the cracks of history. Fortunately, Trinitonian and Mirage articles still exist to document his remarkable accomplishments. Jeffries' own account of events supplements these primary sources, and the resulting story touches on the racial climate of NCAA Basketball, Trinity's "Peach Fuzz Five" and Jeffries' ascension to becoming one of the top players in the country.

This exhibit discusses the relationship between Greek Life and Intramurals participation.

This exhibit dives into the athletic facility improvements made at Trinity University during the early 1990s. Specifically, the renovations made that transformed the previously known Sam's Center into the present-day William H. Bell Center.  Moreover, this exhibit examines the crucial decisions and impacts on Trinity's athletic programs through the narrative of President Ron Calgaard.