Westminster University Hall of Fame
Westminster Men’s Tennis is a great story of personalities, team chemistry, and athletic accomplishment. At the NAIA national championships in Kansas City, coaches asked how Westminster was able to win their conference and the District VII championships and compete so well nationally without athletic scholarships. The answer is the reason that Westminster Men’s Tennis 1975-1976 should be inducted in the Athletics Hall of Fame. The answer is found in the story of how this group of exceptional athletes ended up on campus.
Tom Snyder
Tom Snyder arrived on Westminster’s campus as a 3rd generation Airborne Ranger, Vietnam Veteran from Chicago. He wanted to attend a small liberal arts college out west and somehow picked Westminster. Tom was an elite athlete, but students and faculty on campus were unaware of this. All they saw was a guy who looked like John Milner from American Graffiti with his slicked back hair and a pack of Camel non-filters rolled up his shirt sleeve. The only difference was that Snyder drove a Porsche to Milner’s Duece Coupe. Tom’s father worked in the world of finance until his death when Tom was only twelve years old. Tom was raised in the Chicago country club environment where he played tennis and golf. He excelled at baseball and was drafted by the White Sox as a power hitter before he left for Viet Nam. After his tour of combat and jumping out of helicopters in LZ’s behind enemy lines, he was scheduled to report to the White Sox. As fate would have it, Tom mangled his left hand in an accident while working for the railroad that summer in Chicago. His baseball career was over with three fingers missing and his index finger permanently fused in a permanent position. It was Ok for tossing a tennis ball to serve but impossible for playing left field. Tom inherited a fortune when he turned twenty one as a trust fund recipient and he was generous with his money. Westminster had little money in the budget for tennis so Tom purchased the team uniforms and warm-up suits as well as bought a racket stringing machine. He was also known to supplement the meal budget on road trips.
Tom was a great tennis player despite sore knees and bad feet from jumping out of helicopters with an 80 lb. radio on his back. When the team played a preseason match against Snow Jr. College in 1974, Tom and their number one player Mike Vandegrift went three sets in their singles match. In #1 doubles, Tom hit Mike at the net several times because he hit a forehand so hard, the opponent could not see the ball coming off the racket. Vandegrift finally moved back to the baseline and the next season he transferred to Westminster.
Mike Vandegrift
Mike was named the 1974 ICAC Player of the Year at Snow Jr. College. He was undefeated in conference play at first singles. His toughest match of the year was most likely against Westminster’s Tom Snyder, where Mike won in three sets. Mike started college at the US military academy at West Point before transferring to Snow. Westminster was fortunate to get a
NCAA Division I talent like Mike Vandegrift.
Mike was an elite level basketball player at Viewmont High until he injured his knee during his junior year. He specialized in tennis after that to save some wear-and-tear. Mike was very athletic with great vision and great hands. He was recognized as one of Utah’s top junior tennis players growing up. Interestingly, he became a club tennis professional in Utah from 1981-1992 and was named Utah Tennis Professional of the Year in 1985. At Westminster, Mike immediately took over the number one spot on the team. His competitive drive and great eye-sight complemented his intense desire to improve every day. His accomplishment of winning the 1976 NAIA District VII singles championship was an indicator of his future in tennis. His RMAC and District VII doubles championships (with Brad Harbottle) propelled Westminster to national attention.
After Westminster, Mike served as a US Army Officer from 1977-1981 and was the 1978 United States Forces Command Doubles Champion. He was the 1979 Player/Coach of the United States All Army Team in Interservice matches. He and his wife Bonnie own the Brevard Tennis and Athletic Club in North Carolina. Mike was Chairman of Collegiate Tennis for North Carolina Universities and Colleges for six years as well as Chairman of Collegiate Tennis at the USTA Southern Section. He was National Subcommittee Chairman of Innovations for Tennis on College Campuses and currently serves as Chairman of Innovations Subcommittee of the USTA National Tournament Competition Committee for Adults.
Brad Harbottle
Brad’s arrival on campus was due to another fortunate set of circumstances for Westminster College. It was as if Salt Lake City got a glimpse of the Southern Cross constellation from latitude 40. Brad was a nationally ranked junior from Brisbane, Australia who happened to have married a girl he met from Salt Lake City. The girl’s sister was dating Doug Olsen, a member of the Westminster tennis team. Doug and Brad decided to play a bit of tennis on the court in the center of campus where the Meldrum Science building now resides. The Salt Lake Tribune later described Brad’s tennis game as breathtaking. His effortless athleticism, hitting shots at angles and placement not previously seen, was an artistic rendering of the game of tennis. He was immediately recruited to join the team. Coach Briscoe always thought Brad was the team’s most skilled player, but his laid back Australian personality allowed others to flourish around him. People gravitated toward Brad. He was a most talented #2 singles player and every bit the match for Tom Snyder and Mike Vandegrift. When combined with Mike at #1 Doubles, Westminster was unbeatable. They won the RMAC and NAIA District VII championships multiple times. Brad also captured the RMAC #2 Singles title in 1976. At the NAIA nationals, Brad won two singles matches, advancing to the third round that acquired important points for the team’s final national ranking. Like Mike, Brad made his career in tennis. Today he is the CEO/Tennis Professional of Xcel Tennis in Brisbane, Australia where he coaches elite junior players.
Brian Triptow
Triptow is a well respected name in Utah tennis circles. Not because of Brian, but because of his cousin Dave Triptow who starred for the University of Utah tennis team in the 1960’s. Brian aspired to basketball greatness and attended Westminster on a hoops scholarship. Tennis was a sport he picked up his junior year in high school. As he once stated, “Tom, Mike, and Brad were so great, daily practices was like getting free tennis lessons.” Triptow improved quickly. His athleticism and quickness allowed him to become a strong tennis player and much better than he ever was at basketball. His RMAC win at #4 Singles was the pivotal match that secured Westminster’s first conference championship in 1975. His competitive drive carried over from basketball and fueled his improvement in tennis. His ability to run down shots was a perfect complement to Tom Snyder’s power game and sore knees. They excelled together and captured the RMAC #2 doubles championship in 1975. Triptow was named the recipient of the Glen Lloyd Medal for Outstanding Athletic and Academic Achievement in 1976.
Doug Olsen
Doug Olsen from Yuba City, California, anchored Westminster tennis from 1974 – 1976. He played #6 Singles and #3 Doubles at various times based on the needs of the team and match ups with the competition. Doug added a crucial element of chemistry to the team in terms of personality and enthusiasm. His game was very good and got better each year, especially after spending a summer in Jackson Hole as a teaching professional. He was known for his powerful topspin forehand. Doug was a seemingly laid back personality with a hidden competitive drive that came out in matches and inter-team challenges. Doug was a great teammate and a critical contributor to overall team success.
Brian Hatch
Brian Hatch was the #1 Singles player at Snow Jr. College after Mike Vandegrift left for Westminster. The next year, Hatch joined Westminster and moved into #3 or #4 Singles as dictated by Coach Briscoe and competitive matchups. Brian also teamed with Doug Olsen at #3 Doubles. The big lefty had a powerful serve and a steady game. He was a difficult opponent for almost everybody and that led him to a first round victory in the NAIA National singles championships in Kansas City. Hatch added to the strength and depth of the team which led to Westminster defeating NCAA Division I Universities Weber State and Utah State in preseason matches.
Bill Rudman
Bill Rudman was a transfer from Utah State’s tennis team. Mike Vandegrift and the strength of Westminster’s 1975 accomplishments was a magnet for better players like Rudman and Hatch. Bill Rudman was a cerebral tactician at #6 Singles. At the NAIA District VII championships, he defeated the third seeded player with a clever and frustrating lob game. It was a major upset and a catalyst for Westminster’s second NAIA District VII championship in a row. Bill was a great addition to the diverse personalities on the team. After graduation, he earned his Master’s in Sociology at the University of Utah.
Dr. Raymond Briscoe
Dr. Briscoe was a Behavioral Science Professor at Westminster. He also was the co-owner of Wasatch Opinion and Research Corporation with Dan Jones. Players’ ability notwithstanding, Dr. Briscoe is the reason for Westminster’s tennis success. His company employed many of the tennis players who attended school without athletic scholarships. Ray was a great, eccentric personality that stimulated the thinking of his players. Road trips were filled with educational insights and team building activities. Friendly competitions in the form of pickup basketball, golf, card games, ping pong, and so forth helped develop excellent chemistry and camaraderie. Coach Briscoe also used his behavioral science background to prepare the team for competition. He was a decade ahead of time in terms of the use of Sport Psychology techniques used today. He applied imagery as a primary method for his players to see, feel, and trust their performance before each match. Dr. Briscoe also sought input from his players for doubles combinations that led to a sense of autonomy - a highly motivating characteristic in performance settings.
Ray was a fine tennis player himself and teamed up several times with his seventh player for exhibition doubles matches. Dr. Ray Briscoe was named the RMAC and NAIA District VII Coach of the Year in 1975 and 1976. His teams visited the rarified air of the NAIA National Tennis Championships both years. With Vandegrift and Harbottle winning two singles matches and Hatch winning one, Westminster finished the 1976 season as the 7th ranked NAIA team in the nation.
