In her 34 years as coach of the Mesa Community College women’s tennis team, PENNY POWELL has
proved that having fun at playing the sport can be just as important as winning.
“If it’s not fun, then it’s not
worth playing,” she states. “Playing on a college team can be very demanding, and you have to be
dedicated. But our players always seem to rise to the occasion.”
Rise to the occasion they have as evidenced by the record of Powell-coached teams over the past three
decades (391-197 overall and an amazing 309-66 in Conference play). Winning an amazing 84 per cent of
their Conference matches has led to 16 regional championships (including six of the last seven consecutive years), eight second-place
finishes and 21 trips to the National Junior College tournament.
Her 2004 team placed fourth in the nation for the second year
in a row.
Powell's coaching accomplishments have earned her ITA Junior College Coach-of-the-Year honors in 2000 and her induction into
the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 2004.
Former Athletic Director Dan Dunn pointed out that “Being selected to the National Coaches Hall of Fame
is the pinnacle of one’s career. No higher honor can be bestowed upon a coach than to be picked by your peers for this
recognition.”
Powell attended Fresno City College where she won the Northern California Junior College singles championship and
received a tennis scholarship to Arizona State University where she played from 1963-65.
Contact Coach Powell at 480.461.7566 or penny.powell@mcmail.maricopa.edu
Please contact The Tennis Department for comments
or corrections phone:
480-461-7566
