Search
Conlon leaving Ames for Iowa City
Date Posted: 2008-08-14
Michele Conlon, the longest-tenured coach at Iowa State University, announced Wednesday that she has accepted a position as Tennis Coordinator for the new recreational facility at the University of Iowa.
Conlon was named head women's tennis coach at Iowa State in 1992 after two seasons as an assistant coach for the Cyclone men's and women's squads. Her 16-year-tenure in Ames compares favorably with legendary ISU coaches such as Jack McGuire (34 years as swimming coach), Cap Timm (33, baseball), Dr. Harold Nichols (32, wrestling), Hugo Otapalik (28, wrestling and golf), Ed Gagnier (22, men's gymnastics) and Bill Bergan (25, cross country and 16, track).
"I've been given an extraordinary career opportunity in my hometown," Conlon, an Iowa City native said. "Certainly, the joy of coaching young tennis players is my passion and I'll continue to be active in that endeavor. At the same time, I've made countless lifetime friends during the last decade-and-a-half at ISU and they will be cherished forever."
Conlon holds very strong feelings for her former players, which include First-team All-Big 12 selection Sabrina Evers (2004) and three-time team MVP Jill Palen.
"I especially want to thank all of my student-athletes, who have worked so hard to reach their potentials and represent themselves, our team and Iowa State University in a first-class manner," Conlon said. "Mentoring young people is simply the greatest joy in coaching and I take personal satisfaction for the wonderful successes of the women who've gone through our program."
Conlon said her new appointment is extremely exciting but "I'm leaving an athletics department that is on a tremendous upswing under the leadership of Jamie Pollard. My personal attachment to the Cyclones is important and I'll watch and enjoy their progress."
Her Cyclone teams certainly demonstrated the discipline to balance athletics and academics. Conlon's squads had an unbelievable 100% graduation rate for 16 years. Thirty-eight of her players were named Academic All-Big 12 and more than half of her roster received league academic honors the last seven seasons. Her 2007 club was recognized as an ITA All-Academic Team.
"Michele has been a wonderful ambassador for Cyclone athletics and a strong promoter of tennis in our community," Senior Associate Athletics Director Dr. Calli Sanders said. "Her long-standing, loyal service to Iowa State and her student-athletes has been exemplary. She put all of her efforts into developing young women as players and people and that's an outstanding legacy."
The 20-year teaching professional was inducted into the State of Iowa Tennis Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Iowa City High Hall of Fame in 2002. She is a member of the United States Professional Tennis Association and the U.S. Tennis Registry.
As a collegian, she was the No. 1 singles player at Iowa from 1983-87 and was named its Women's Tennis Player of the Decade for the 1980s. She was team MVP and First-team All-Big Ten in 1985 and earned the Big Ten Sportswoman of Year award as a senior.
Conlon starts her new position next month and Iowa State Associate Head Coach Armando Espinosa assumes the head coaching duties on an interim basis for the 2009 season.
Date Posted: 2008-08-14
Michele Conlon, the longest-tenured coach at Iowa State University, announced Wednesday that she has accepted a position as Tennis Coordinator for the new recreational facility at the University of Iowa.
Conlon was named head women's tennis coach at Iowa State in 1992 after two seasons as an assistant coach for the Cyclone men's and women's squads. Her 16-year-tenure in Ames compares favorably with legendary ISU coaches such as Jack McGuire (34 years as swimming coach), Cap Timm (33, baseball), Dr. Harold Nichols (32, wrestling), Hugo Otapalik (28, wrestling and golf), Ed Gagnier (22, men's gymnastics) and Bill Bergan (25, cross country and 16, track).
"I've been given an extraordinary career opportunity in my hometown," Conlon, an Iowa City native said. "Certainly, the joy of coaching young tennis players is my passion and I'll continue to be active in that endeavor. At the same time, I've made countless lifetime friends during the last decade-and-a-half at ISU and they will be cherished forever."
Conlon holds very strong feelings for her former players, which include First-team All-Big 12 selection Sabrina Evers (2004) and three-time team MVP Jill Palen.
"I especially want to thank all of my student-athletes, who have worked so hard to reach their potentials and represent themselves, our team and Iowa State University in a first-class manner," Conlon said. "Mentoring young people is simply the greatest joy in coaching and I take personal satisfaction for the wonderful successes of the women who've gone through our program."
Conlon said her new appointment is extremely exciting but "I'm leaving an athletics department that is on a tremendous upswing under the leadership of Jamie Pollard. My personal attachment to the Cyclones is important and I'll watch and enjoy their progress."
Her Cyclone teams certainly demonstrated the discipline to balance athletics and academics. Conlon's squads had an unbelievable 100% graduation rate for 16 years. Thirty-eight of her players were named Academic All-Big 12 and more than half of her roster received league academic honors the last seven seasons. Her 2007 club was recognized as an ITA All-Academic Team.
"Michele has been a wonderful ambassador for Cyclone athletics and a strong promoter of tennis in our community," Senior Associate Athletics Director Dr. Calli Sanders said. "Her long-standing, loyal service to Iowa State and her student-athletes has been exemplary. She put all of her efforts into developing young women as players and people and that's an outstanding legacy."
The 20-year teaching professional was inducted into the State of Iowa Tennis Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Iowa City High Hall of Fame in 2002. She is a member of the United States Professional Tennis Association and the U.S. Tennis Registry.
As a collegian, she was the No. 1 singles player at Iowa from 1983-87 and was named its Women's Tennis Player of the Decade for the 1980s. She was team MVP and First-team All-Big Ten in 1985 and earned the Big Ten Sportswoman of Year award as a senior.
Conlon starts her new position next month and Iowa State Associate Head Coach Armando Espinosa assumes the head coaching duties on an interim basis for the 2009 season.
| Comments |
|
We welcome comments on all sides of all issues. We want our comment forums to be a respectful, comfortable place for people of all opinions to discuss topics of interest. Toward that end, we will not approve comments that contain profanity, obscenity, libel, name-calling, or personal attack. We reserve the right to disapprove any comment for any reason.
|