Trinity's Cocanougher and Kowal advance to National Small College Championship Finals

Trinity's Cocanougher and Kowal advance to National Small College Championship Finals

(Story courtesy of Trinity University)

MOBILE, Ala. - The top-seeded Trinity Tigers doubles team of seniors Bobby Cocanougher and Cory Kowal advanced to Friday's final of the USTA/ITA Division III Men's National Small College Championships.

Cocanougher, of Southlake, Texas (Carroll); and Kowal, from Austin, Texas (Anderson); will take on third seeds Chris Goodwin and Will Humphreys of Emory at 5 p.m. at Copeland-Cox Tennis Center.
 
The winner of Friday's match moves on to the "Super Bowl" on Saturday. Regional champions from the NCAA Divisions II and III, along with the NAIA and JUCO (junior college), are competing in the tournament. The division champs play each other, culminating in championship matches Sunday.
 
In Thursday's semifinals, Cocanougher and Kowal defeated Brian Piotrowski and Brian Sorich of Illinois Wesleyan 4-6, 7-5, 10-4 (tiebreak instead of third set). Earlier in the day, the two Tigers took out Jake Macey and Eric Scanlan of Wisconsin-Whitewater 6-2, 6-1 in the quarterfinals.
 
Cocanougher and Kowal, playing in their third National Small College event, won the ITA Southwest Region Championship Oct. 3 at Trinity. Last May, the Tiger duo advanced to the NCAA Division III Doubles Championship match.
 
Eric Shulman, the third-seeded singles player from Christopher Newport, beat Cocanougher 6-3, 6-0 in the quarterfinals Thursday. Cocanougher, the regional singles champion, meets Sam Sweeney of North Central in Friday's consolation semifinals at 10:30 a.m.