Oklahoma State University Athletics
Ike Groce To Be Inducted Into Tennis Hall of Fame
November 14, 2008 | Cowgirl Tennis
EDMOND, Okla. (OSU Athletics ) - Former Oklahoma
State women¹s tennis coach Ike Groce is one of three legends set to be
inducted into the Oklahoma District Tennis Association¹s Hall of Fame on
Saturday.
Gerald K. Hirst and Joe Pitts will also be honored during the ODTA¹s awards
banquet at the Greens Country Club in Oklahoma City.
In 1979, Groce took over the Oklahoma State program, where he turned the
Cowgirls into a national power.
In his six years at OSU, Groce won more than 90 percent of his matches and
won Big Eight conference championships in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985.
Individually, he produced 45 conference singles and doubles champions.
His squads also did not lose a single match in Big Eight tournament
competition for five consecutive years and he led the Cowgirls to a top-10
finish in the NCAA Tournament in 1985. Groce finished with an overall record
of 131-27 at OSU, including a 44-2 record in Big Eight play.
As a player, Groce was an outstanding junior tennis player in Shawnee before
joining Southeastern State University where he compiled a 61-8 singles
record and a 57-8 mark in doubles. He won three conference singles titles
during his career and lead Southeastern to three consecutive Oklahoma
Collegiate Conference titles.
At the NAIA national tournament, Groce reached the semifinals while helping
his team to a third-place showing. He would later become the first tennis
player inducted in the Southeastern Athletic Hall of Fame.
After finishing his playing career, Groce turned to coaching and built
tennis programs in several public schools in Lubbock, Abilene and Brownwood,
Texas. He produced 11 individual state champions and 13 nationally ranked
prep players. Groce coached 77 high school athletes who earned college
tennis scholarships.
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