Former athletes of Linda Hargrove return for Tigress Tough alumni reunion
It was a weekend full of laughs and memories shared during the 1972-1989 Tigress Tough Cowley College Alumni Reunion held Friday and Saturday in Arkansas City. The Reunion brought together former softball, basketball, and volleyball players of legendary head coach Linda Hargrove.
The weekend’s festivities consisted of a social at the Burford Theatre on Friday, an Etzanoa presentation, campus tour, social event and dinner at the Linda Adams Hargrove Athletic Center on Saturday and attendance at the Cowley volleyball matches.
“It was an honor to have the alumni come back and support us,” Cowley head volleyball coach Steven Gream said. “We are proud to carry on the tradition that coach (Linda) Hargrove started. Linda paved the way for women’s athletics not only at Cowley but also in the area. Because of her, our players are able to do what they love.”
According to Autumn Kincaid, Alumni Relations/Golden Tigers coordinator, a total of 82 individuals returned to campus for the event.
“I had the best time coordinating the event and enjoyed the opportunity to see them come together and almost pick up right where they left off,” Kincaid said. “It definitely shows how close these women came during their time at Cowley. They were in awe at the growth of our campus and were truly proud to be Tiger alumni.”
Recognized as a pioneer in women’s athletics, Lady Tiger coaching legend Linda Hargrove left her mark on Cowley College and is the second all-time winningest coach in the history of the women’s basketball and volleyball programs. She won 316 games as head coach of the Lady Tiger basketball team from 1972-1989 and accumulated 292 wins during 10 seasons in charge of the volleyball team (1976-1985).
She also posted a winning record as head coach of the Lady Tiger softball team during the 1977 and 1978 seasons.
Hargrove earned National Basketball Coach of the Year honors in 1987, was named Region VI Coach of the Year four times, and coached several All-Americans in basketball and volleyball. She is the only Cowley coach to take basketball and volleyball teams to the national tournament.
She was inducted into the inaugural class of the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. She was elected to the NJCAA Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.