[ Tennis Bison tennis team accomplished much D istrict champions, AIC runners-up, and a camaraderie that lasted year-round. Those things, and many more, were what made the 1989 tennis season special. According to many of the team members, the unity that the team members displayed during the 1989 season was what made it such a success. "We were very close. We blended together really well and we all liked each other," said team member Lee Mackey. Coach David Elliot said, "We had an excellent season with the highlights being named the District 17 champions, AIC runners-up, and ending up 25th in the national tournament. Their list of accomplishments didn't stop there, however. Richie Roberts, sophomore, and freshman Ernesto Tovar were named to the All-AIC men's tennis team, Leonardo Bravo was given honorable mention, Coach Elliot was named the NAIA District 17 Coach of the Year, and they ON THE MARK. Todd Gilliam, junior, positions himself to volley the ball back to this opponent. Harding's tennis team placed second in the AIC conference. -Photo by Sharon Bowles. ended the year with a conference record of 20 wins and 7 losses, and a non-conference record of six and one. Also, Harding had four allDistrict 17 players, they were Tovar, Roberts, Bravo, and Arturo Martinez. Martinez and Gregg Barden also made the academic All-Americans. Barden won the Intercollegiate Coaches Association Graduate Scholarship. Not only did most of the team members have tough class schedules, they also had a tough tennis schedule to keep up with. "We played some tough schools, like University of Arkansas in Little Rock and Oral Roberts University, which were non-conference schools but helped us get ready for our harder conference matches," said Todd Gilliam. Through a successful season and many academic accomplishments, the 1989 tennis team made their list of endless accomplishments. - Tanya Atkinson Men's Tennis 63
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