Men’s Tennis Scholarship Honors Coaching Legacy
5/13/2016 10:26:00 AM | Men's Tennis, DAF
Game Changers - Inspiring Leaders to Transform the World
Jeff Frank- Hall of Fame Class of 2011-12
Frank, Wildcat Tennis Legend
DAVIDSON, N.C. — What began as a family scholarship started by Andy Sherrill '62 is now a larger effort to celebrate and remember Jeff Frank '66, one of the most successful coaches in the history of Davidson Athletics and the head coach for the men's tennis program for 34 years.
To date, the Jeff Frank Memorial Scholarship has surpassed its first milestone goal of $340,000—recognizing the coach's tenure at Davidson—and now aims to surpass $541,000, which honors the all-time college record 541 wins the program celebrated under Frank's leadership.
"Jeff and I were very good friends," said Sherrill. "It began after he returned to Davidson to become head coach, though we met when he was a student. Upon his return, he called on me to help him run the Southern boys championships which Davidson had hosted for many years. Through that association, I started hiring his players for summer employment in Statesville, both at our city park and the Statesville Country Club. We later worked together starting a fall tournament for area college players called The Crossroads Invitational, held in Statesville. Jeff loved the game of tennis, but more than that, he was a quality person who gave his all to the student athletes he coached, taking pride in every one of them, and it was a reciprocal relationship. It is fitting he is being honored with a memorial scholarship in his name, and I am pleased to have had a part in this effort."
Sherrill knew his family scholarship would likely never reach the level he hoped it would in order to make the greatest difference for helping the men's tennis program bring the strongest scholar athletes to Davidson. Through this group endeavor, Sherrill looks forward to all this scholarship will mean for the program.
"I created the scholarship after conversations with President John Kuykendall '59," he said. "And I'll continue to give at the level I've been giving through the years, but it won't have the needed impact on the program if I continue supporting the scholarship alone. Jeff's name and his close relationships with all of his players are what have brought people to the table and inspired them to contribute. We also couldn't have done this without the help and guidance of Gavin Viano, the college's assistant athletic director for development."
"I firmly believe additional tennis scholarships will allow us to attract more exceptional scholar athletes and compete at the top of the Atlantic 10," said Director of Athletics Jim Murphy '78. "Jeff Frank was the epitome of the Davidson scholar. He enjoyed the law and a good joke, and the next great novel was always on the tip of his pen, waiting to be written. Jeff cared about people, his friends and tennis, but most of all, he cared about his players. They were his family, and he treated them as such."
Mike Meyer '87, a recent contributor and ambassador for the effort, said it's important for the men's tennis program to become as competitive as possible, and scholarships will help make that happen.
"Jeff was truly devoted to Davidson student athletes' lives, and he knew what it meant having been one himself," said Meyer. "For the vast majority of us, being able to be in D-I athletics is something we're very proud of, and he was a great coach and leader. First and foremost, my involvement in this scholarship project is about remembering his many outstanding contributions to Davidson."
Questions about the Jeff Frank Memorial Scholarship can be directed to Gavin Viano at 704-894-2657 or gaviano@davidson.edu.
About Jeff Frank
The 1966 graduate of Davidson was a four-year member of the tennis squad and coached the freshman team before moving on to the University of Florida as a graduate assistant from the fall of 1966 through December of 1969. The Gators won two SEC championships during Frank's time at Florida, plus were ranked fifth nationally in 1969. After three years coaching at the Westminster School in Atlanta, he returned to his alma mater to assist Harry Fogleman in the fall of 1972. Shortly thereafter, Fogleman passed away and Frank took over as the interim coach.
Frank quickly made his mark, leading that 1973 squad to a stellar 23-2 mark and a Southern Conference championship while earning the league's Coach of the Year award for the first of four times. The athletes on the team petitioned the school president, Sam Spencer '40, to hire Frank permanently for the head coaching job before the league tournament, which Spencer did with pleasure.
Nine times Davidson reached 20 victories in a season under Frank's watch, including four straight from 1985-88. His 1976 squad posted a 20-6-1 record and was the SoCon regular-season champions. Frank coached three Southern Conference Players of the Year, 18 SoCon individual champions and eight doubles champions before the tournament changed to a team format in 2000. When Davidson rejoined the league in 1993, Frank had seven singles and four doubles teams named all-conference.
Not only did Frank earn the SoCon Coach of the Year four times, he also honored with the Big South Coach of the Year award both seasons Davidson was a member of the league (1991 and 1992). In the Big South, Frank had two all-conference performers in singles play and one all-conference doubles team.
Frank also served as the coach for the USTA junior team at the Italian junior championships in 1981-83. In 1996, Frank was inducted into the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame, which he called "the highlight of his career. I could not have achieved it without great players over the years, who share the honor with me."
Jeff Frank- Hall of Fame Class of 2011-12
Frank, Wildcat Tennis Legend
DAVIDSON, N.C. — What began as a family scholarship started by Andy Sherrill '62 is now a larger effort to celebrate and remember Jeff Frank '66, one of the most successful coaches in the history of Davidson Athletics and the head coach for the men's tennis program for 34 years.
To date, the Jeff Frank Memorial Scholarship has surpassed its first milestone goal of $340,000—recognizing the coach's tenure at Davidson—and now aims to surpass $541,000, which honors the all-time college record 541 wins the program celebrated under Frank's leadership.
"Jeff and I were very good friends," said Sherrill. "It began after he returned to Davidson to become head coach, though we met when he was a student. Upon his return, he called on me to help him run the Southern boys championships which Davidson had hosted for many years. Through that association, I started hiring his players for summer employment in Statesville, both at our city park and the Statesville Country Club. We later worked together starting a fall tournament for area college players called The Crossroads Invitational, held in Statesville. Jeff loved the game of tennis, but more than that, he was a quality person who gave his all to the student athletes he coached, taking pride in every one of them, and it was a reciprocal relationship. It is fitting he is being honored with a memorial scholarship in his name, and I am pleased to have had a part in this effort."
Sherrill knew his family scholarship would likely never reach the level he hoped it would in order to make the greatest difference for helping the men's tennis program bring the strongest scholar athletes to Davidson. Through this group endeavor, Sherrill looks forward to all this scholarship will mean for the program.
"I created the scholarship after conversations with President John Kuykendall '59," he said. "And I'll continue to give at the level I've been giving through the years, but it won't have the needed impact on the program if I continue supporting the scholarship alone. Jeff's name and his close relationships with all of his players are what have brought people to the table and inspired them to contribute. We also couldn't have done this without the help and guidance of Gavin Viano, the college's assistant athletic director for development."
"I firmly believe additional tennis scholarships will allow us to attract more exceptional scholar athletes and compete at the top of the Atlantic 10," said Director of Athletics Jim Murphy '78. "Jeff Frank was the epitome of the Davidson scholar. He enjoyed the law and a good joke, and the next great novel was always on the tip of his pen, waiting to be written. Jeff cared about people, his friends and tennis, but most of all, he cared about his players. They were his family, and he treated them as such."
Mike Meyer '87, a recent contributor and ambassador for the effort, said it's important for the men's tennis program to become as competitive as possible, and scholarships will help make that happen.
"Jeff was truly devoted to Davidson student athletes' lives, and he knew what it meant having been one himself," said Meyer. "For the vast majority of us, being able to be in D-I athletics is something we're very proud of, and he was a great coach and leader. First and foremost, my involvement in this scholarship project is about remembering his many outstanding contributions to Davidson."
Questions about the Jeff Frank Memorial Scholarship can be directed to Gavin Viano at 704-894-2657 or gaviano@davidson.edu.
About Jeff Frank
The 1966 graduate of Davidson was a four-year member of the tennis squad and coached the freshman team before moving on to the University of Florida as a graduate assistant from the fall of 1966 through December of 1969. The Gators won two SEC championships during Frank's time at Florida, plus were ranked fifth nationally in 1969. After three years coaching at the Westminster School in Atlanta, he returned to his alma mater to assist Harry Fogleman in the fall of 1972. Shortly thereafter, Fogleman passed away and Frank took over as the interim coach.
Frank quickly made his mark, leading that 1973 squad to a stellar 23-2 mark and a Southern Conference championship while earning the league's Coach of the Year award for the first of four times. The athletes on the team petitioned the school president, Sam Spencer '40, to hire Frank permanently for the head coaching job before the league tournament, which Spencer did with pleasure.
Nine times Davidson reached 20 victories in a season under Frank's watch, including four straight from 1985-88. His 1976 squad posted a 20-6-1 record and was the SoCon regular-season champions. Frank coached three Southern Conference Players of the Year, 18 SoCon individual champions and eight doubles champions before the tournament changed to a team format in 2000. When Davidson rejoined the league in 1993, Frank had seven singles and four doubles teams named all-conference.
Not only did Frank earn the SoCon Coach of the Year four times, he also honored with the Big South Coach of the Year award both seasons Davidson was a member of the league (1991 and 1992). In the Big South, Frank had two all-conference performers in singles play and one all-conference doubles team.
Frank also served as the coach for the USTA junior team at the Italian junior championships in 1981-83. In 1996, Frank was inducted into the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame, which he called "the highlight of his career. I could not have achieved it without great players over the years, who share the honor with me."
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