July 30, 2008

RIPON, Wis. - Ripon College is proud to announce the newest addition to the Red Hawk family, with the hiring of Kevin Francis on July 30, as the head coach of the men's tennis team. Francis is a 1993 graduate of Ripon College, where he excelled in his four years as a tennis player.

Francis is currently tied for eighth on Ripon's all-time win list, with a career record of 63-11, and was a part of three consecutive Midwest Conference championships (1990-92), under legendary head coach Chuck Larson. Francis was named to the 1991 NCAA Division III All-American team, while advancing to the doubles quarterfinals of that year's D-III National Tournament, along with teammate Steve Sprinkman.

After graduating from Ripon, Francis entered the coaching ranks as an assistant at Michigan State University in 1994. The following year, Francis was hired as the head coach at Alma College (MI). He would later go on to coach the Ripon women's tennis team from 2003-2004. Francis has also been a tennis pro at various tennis clubs in the Midwest, including clubs in Chicago and Milwaukee.

"Kevin is a great addition to our staff. He is a product of Chuck Larson's program that dominated the Midwest Conference for over thirty years," Ripon Athletic Director Bob Gillespie said. "He has successful coaching experience and has been involved in tennis his entire life. I am confident that Kevin will strive to build on our tennis tradition."