John Powless
Encyclopedia
John D. Powless is a retired American basketball
and tennis
coach at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
and a current player on the international senior tennis circuit.
, and played on the Flora High School basketball, tennis and football teams. He graduated from Murray State University
in 1957 after playing basketball and tennis and still ranks among the school’s all-time greats in both sports. He was one of five charter members in Murray State’s Hall of Fame, which was originated in 1957.
As a 6'5" sophomore forward in 1955, he led his team to the Kentucky Invitational title. As a tennis player, Powless never lost a tennis match in three years of varsity competition and was the Ohio Valley Conference
singles champion all three seasons. He also shared the conference doubles championship all three years and later served six years as captain and coach of the United States Junior Davis Cup team. Powless lost in the first round of the 1955, 1956, 1962, and 1963 U.S. National Championships, but reached the second round in 1959 and 1964.
for a year and joined Bud Kennedy as an assistant basketball coach at Florida State University
the following year. In 1960, he became freshman coach at the University of Cincinnati
and compiled a 36-9 three-year record and a 15–0 record during the 1962–63 season.
Working with head coach Ed Jucker
and assistant (and later head) coach Tay Baker, Powless helped the Bearcats post a 78–6 record over three years. During the three years that Powless was at Cincinnati, the Bearcats won two NCAA titles by defeating Ohio State
in 1961 and 1962 and finished second to Loyola University Chicago
in 1963.
Powless came to Wisconsin as an assistant under John Erickson
in May 1963 and also was Wisconsin's head tennis coach for five seasons, compiling a 52–39 dual meet record. On April 27, 1968, Powless became head basketball coach on the same day that Army
head coach Bob Knight declined the offer. During his eight years at Wisconsin, he compiled a record of 88–108. His best team was his 1973–74 team, which posted a record of 16–8 and had future NBA
center Kim Hughes on its roster.
After his career at Wisconsin, Powless owned and operated the John Powless Tennis Center in Madison, Wisconsin
. He was a basketball and tennis TV analyst and played tennis on the international senior circuit. He also won numerous national and international tennis competitions, including a 1999 U.S. Senior Open singles title. He was the first U.S. senior player to win five consecutive national clay court doubles titles. He has also earned a number one ranking in singles and doubles for men age 55 and older. John is currently ranked the as the world's number one singles player for 75 and over, despite the fact that he has had both knees replaced; one in 2007 and the other in 2008.
in 2009.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
coach at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
and a current player on the international senior tennis circuit.
Background
Powless grew up in Flora, IllinoisFlora, Illinois
Flora is a city in Clay County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,086 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Flora is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land....
, and played on the Flora High School basketball, tennis and football teams. He graduated from Murray State University
Murray State University
Murray State University, located in the city of Murray, Kentucky, is a four-year public university with approximately 10,400 students. The school is Kentucky’s only public university to be listed in the U.S.News & World Report regional university top tier for the past 20 consecutive years...
in 1957 after playing basketball and tennis and still ranks among the school’s all-time greats in both sports. He was one of five charter members in Murray State’s Hall of Fame, which was originated in 1957.
As a 6'5" sophomore forward in 1955, he led his team to the Kentucky Invitational title. As a tennis player, Powless never lost a tennis match in three years of varsity competition and was the Ohio Valley Conference
Ohio Valley Conference
The Ohio Valley Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the midwestern and southeastern United States. It participates in Division I of the NCAA; the conference's football programs compete in the Football Championship Subdivision , the lower of two levels of Division I...
singles champion all three seasons. He also shared the conference doubles championship all three years and later served six years as captain and coach of the United States Junior Davis Cup team. Powless lost in the first round of the 1955, 1956, 1962, and 1963 U.S. National Championships, but reached the second round in 1959 and 1964.
Career
After graduation, Powless coached at the high school level at Paducah, KentuckyPaducah, Kentucky
Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, halfway between the metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Missouri, to the west and Nashville,...
for a year and joined Bud Kennedy as an assistant basketball coach at Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
the following year. In 1960, he became freshman coach at the University of Cincinnati
University of Cincinnati
The University of Cincinnati is a comprehensive public research university in Cincinnati, Ohio, and a part of the University System of Ohio....
and compiled a 36-9 three-year record and a 15–0 record during the 1962–63 season.
Working with head coach Ed Jucker
Ed Jucker
Edwin Louis "Ed" Jucker was an American college basketball player and coach. He was the former head basketball coach at the University of Cincinnati in the 1960s. Jucker also attended Cincinnati as an undergraduate student and played on the school's basketball teams during the 1938, 1939, and 1940...
and assistant (and later head) coach Tay Baker, Powless helped the Bearcats post a 78–6 record over three years. During the three years that Powless was at Cincinnati, the Bearcats won two NCAA titles by defeating Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
in 1961 and 1962 and finished second to Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
in 1963.
Powless came to Wisconsin as an assistant under John Erickson
John E. Erickson (Wisconsin politician)
John Erickson was a former general manager of the Milwaukee Bucks NBA team and the losing Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Wisconsin in 1970.-Background:...
in May 1963 and also was Wisconsin's head tennis coach for five seasons, compiling a 52–39 dual meet record. On April 27, 1968, Powless became head basketball coach on the same day that Army
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
head coach Bob Knight declined the offer. During his eight years at Wisconsin, he compiled a record of 88–108. His best team was his 1973–74 team, which posted a record of 16–8 and had future NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
center Kim Hughes on its roster.
After his career at Wisconsin, Powless owned and operated the John Powless Tennis Center in Madison, Wisconsin
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
. He was a basketball and tennis TV analyst and played tennis on the international senior circuit. He also won numerous national and international tennis competitions, including a 1999 U.S. Senior Open singles title. He was the first U.S. senior player to win five consecutive national clay court doubles titles. He has also earned a number one ranking in singles and doubles for men age 55 and older. John is currently ranked the as the world's number one singles player for 75 and over, despite the fact that he has had both knees replaced; one in 2007 and the other in 2008.
Awards
In addition to induction into the Murray State University Hall of Fame (1957), Powless is a member of the University of Wisconsin Athletics Hall of Fame (2002) as well as the State of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame (2009). He is a 2000 inductee into the USTA/Midwest Tennis Hall of Fame. He is an honorary member of 22 different nations’ tennis associations and was named U.S. “Senior Tennis Player of the Millennium” in 1999. He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of FameWisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame
The Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame is a promenade in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, dedicated to honoring distinguished members of Wisconsin's sports history. New members are honored at a biennial banquet.-History:...
in 2009.