(Story courtesy of Trinity University)
MOBILE, Ala. - The Trinity University Tigers can claim another national tennis championship, the top-seeded Trinity Tigers team of seniors Bobby Cocanougher and Cory Kowal won the doubles title Friday of the USTA/ITA Division III Men's National Small College Championships.
Cocanougher and Kowal defeated the No. 3 seeds Chris Goodwin and Will Humphreys of Emory 6-2, 6-2 in the men's Division III final at Copeland Cox Tennis Center.
The Tiger duo will now play Saturday in the semifinals of the "Super Bowl" against the Division II champions Rafael Array and Mikk Irdoja of Armstrong Atlantic (Ga.) at 3 p.m. The winner advances to Sunday's championship match at 10 a.m.
Cocanougher and Kowal became the third Trinity team to win the ITA national crown. Sean Fifield and Stefan Parker took the honors in 2003, and Jamie Broach and Michael Slutzky won the title in 1997.
Regional champions from the NCAA Divisions II and III, along with the NAIA and JUCO (junior college), are competing in the tournament. The division winners play each other, culminating in an overall championship match.
The Tiger tandem, playing in their third National Small College event, won the ITA Southwest Region Championship Oct. 3 at Trinity. Last May, the Trinity duo advanced to the NCAA Division III Doubles Championship match.
In Friday's consolation single semifinals, Sam Sweeney of North Central beat Cocanougher 6-2, 6-1 in the consolation singles semifinals. Cocanougher will play for seventh place at 8:30 a.m. Saturday against Andrew Guzick of Vassar.
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