Kalamazoo College's Men's Tennis "Streak"

The Streak  |  The Coaches  |  The Players  |  The Facilities 

The Coaches

Overview - The streak has taken place, for the most part, under only four coaches. Dr. Allen B. Stowe '20 was chairman of the College chemistry department and led the tennis teams to MIAA titles in 1931, 1932, and 1933. From 1935 until his untimely death in 1957, his teams were undefeated in MIAA competition. Following Dr. Stowe's death, the team was coached by then-athletic director Rolla Anderson in 1957 and interim coach Chuck "Bud" Donnelly in 1958. George Acker coached the team from 1959 to 1993 and led the team to 35 consecutive MIAA championships, seven national championships, and an MIAA record of 209-1. Timon Corwin '86 took over in 1994 and led his teams to a 78-1 MIAA record and 14 conference titles. Current head coach Mark Riley '82 took the reigns in 2007. Riley's teams have gone 41-1 in conference play and have won six straight MIAA titles.

Dr. Allen B. Stowe '20 - The founder of the tennis tradition at Kalamazoo College, Dr. Stowe was the chairman of the College chemistry department. His teams won MIAA titles from 1931-33. From 1935 until his untimely death in 1957, his teams were undefeated in MIAA competition. Dr. Stowe was a moving force in bringing the National Junior Boys' Tennis Championships to Kalamazoo. Kalamazoo College's Stowe Tennis Stadium is named in his honor.

George Acker - The successor to Dr. Stowe's success, Acker coached the men's tennis team from 1959-93. His teams compiled an overall record of 537-231, while his MIAA record was an unparalleled 209-1. His teams won the MIAA title 35 years in a row and seven national championships. Over 40 of his players earned All-American honors. Acker was named the NCAA III Coach of the Year twice and was also named the NCAA III Coach of the Decade for the 1980s. Acker Lane, the street where Stowe Tennis Stadium lies, is named after Coach Acker.

Timon Corwin '86 - Corwin replaced the retiring George Acker as head coach in 1994. From then until 2007, Corwin coached the Hornets to a 266-120 overall record and a 78-1 mark in the MIAA. The Wisconsin native also led Kalamazoo to six top-three finishes nationally and national runner-up finishes in 1997 and 1999. For his efforts during the 1997 season, Corwin was honored with the National Coach of the Year Award. 

Mark Riley '82 - Mark Riley began directing the men's tennis program at his alma mater in 2008. Riley started his collegiate playing career at the University of Pittsburgh but transferred to Kalamazoo College after his freshman season. He was a Division III All-American and two-time captain at Kalamazoo College, where he played tennis for two years under coach George Acker. Riley was inducted into the Kalamazoo College Hall of Fame in August 2022. In addition to his coaching duties, Riley serves as the tournament director for the USTA Boys 18 & 16 National Championships, which are held at Kalamazoo College each August.