I had the privilege to serve as director of the MUHS tennis program and varsity head coach from 2000-2004,
taking over from Mike Donovan after a long and distinguished career.
In the spring of 2000, MUHS set the record for the most Wisconsin Independent Schools Athletic Association
(WISAA) state titles in any sport when it won its 19th State Championship trophy, breaking the tie held with
the Pius girls basketball team. This record will stand forever because WISAA disbanded after the 1999-2000
school year. MUHS swept the State Tournament, taking first place in all seven categories. Marquette won the
overall Greater Metro Conference dual match title with conference record of 7-0, as well as the GMC
Tournament, with MUHS players taking first place in six of the seven individual events. In non-conference
competition, MUHS came in first place as a team in all four invitationals in which it participated: the New Trier
Invitational, the Oshkosh Invitational, the Janesville Craig Invitational, and the Racine Horlick Rebel
Invitational. The Journal-Sentinel ranked Marquette # 1 in the state. The team defeated # 2 ranked
Homestead 7-0 in a dual match several days before the WISAA State Tournament.
The MUHS tennis team entered a new and exciting era in the spring of 2001, competing for the first time in
WIAA. The varsity repeated as Metro Conference dual champions with an undefeated 7-0 record. The team
was runner-up at the Conference Tournament, losing by one point (34-33) to Brookfield Central, whom MUHS
defeated 4-3 in their dual match competition earlier in the year. Marquette players won four Conference
Tournament titles: #1 and #2 singles, along with #1 and #3 doubles. Marquette’s loss by three points to
Brookfield Central at the sectional tournament prevented the team from participating in the WIAA State Team
Tournament. However, the team swept both the singles and doubles State Titles at the WIAA Individual State
Tournament, and closed out the doubles final as well. It was a remarkable achievement for the school in its
very first WIAA State Tournament. Watching two MUHS teams battling it out for the State Title in doubles was
particularly gratifying.
The 2002 season saw MUHS repeat as Metro Conference Dual Match Champions with an undefeated 7-0
record. The team avenged its loss to Brookfield Central at the 2001 Conference Tournament, winning the
2002 Tournament by a three-point margin over its nemesis. MUHS won titles at #1 and #2 singles as well as
#2 and #3 doubles. Marquette also avenged its loss to Brookfield Central at the sectional tournament,
winning by seven points and thus advancing for the first time in its history to the WIAA State Team
Tournament. MUHS won the State Team title in its inaugural appearance, defeating Verona Area, Neenah
and Nicolet on the way to the championship. Ward Bortz, the Individual State champion in 2001,
successfully defended his title in 2002.
In what remained a sign of its dominance within the conference, in 2003 MUHS again won the Greater Metro
Conference dual title without a loss, 7-0. The team successfully defended its Conference Tournament title,
crushing Brookfield Central by a 12-point margin. The team won five of the seven conference titles, and was
runner-up at the remaining two spots (#2 and #3 singles). The WIAA’s decision to reorganize school
groupings at the sectional level meant that MUHS no longer competed against Brookfield Central at the
subsectional or sectional level. MUHS again advanced to Team State by winning its sectional tournament
handily over Racine Case. MUHS players were sectional tournament champions at every position except #2
singles, at which the school placed second. Marquette successfully defended its Team State title by
defeating Madison LaFollette, Neenah and Homestead. The 6-1 lopsided victory over Homestead was
especially sweet because quite unexpected, MUHS having lost to Homestead 5-2 in a dual match earlier in
the season. In the 16-team Racine Case Eagle Invitational, 2nd-place Homestead finished ahead of 4th-
place Marquette by a full 14-point margin. Thus Homestead was the clear favorite at team State, MUHS the
obvious underdog. At the State Individual tournament, MUHS had a very respectable performance. Will
Bortz was the singles runner-up, while the doubles team of David Brock & David Kennedy finished third.
Joe Weasler & Nick Woods were doubles quarterfinalists. The ceremonial shaving of the coaches’ heads
after winning Team State was great fun, and remains the only time I’ve endured that particular form of
humiliation!
In my final season (2004) with MUHS tennis, the team again remained undefeated on its way to another
Conference Dual Match title, and again defeated Brookfield Central to win the Conference Tournament,
sweeping all three doubles positions. The team again defeated Racine Case, this time by almost 20 points,
to win the sectional tournament and earn another spot in the State Team Tournament. MUHS almost swept
every sectional position, coming in second at #1 singles. This year Marquette, having defeated Eau Claire
Memorial and Sheboygan North on its way to the State Team championship match, came up short in the
finals to a very dominant Nicolet. However, in its first four years in the WIAA, Marquette had competed for the
Team State title three times, winning twice and coming away with the runner-up trophy once. At Individual
State, doubles partners David Brock and Peter Woods, seeded #3, finished in 4th place. MUHS player
Chris Bryan advanced to the round of 16, as did the doubles team of Jordan Hughes and Max Woods.
During my five years as head coach of Marquette High tennis, I certainly enjoyed the opportunity to meet and
work with many fine young men and their families. The MUHS tennis tradition is very strong, and several
players stand out as exceptionally talented on the court. Ryan Potts, already a senior at MUHS when I took
over the reigns, won the WISAA #1 Singles title three years in a row. He went on to play for Xavier University
where he compiled an 85-34 career singles record, leading Xavier in singles victories his sophomore and
senior years. Four players—Ward Bortz and Will Bortz, John Galanis and Derek Schneider—made the
transition from the last WISAA season in 2000 to Marquette’s WIAA debut in 2001. Credit for much of the
MUHS team’s on-court success in its initial WIAA years goes to the Bortz brothers. Ward would eventually
play for UW-Madison and the University of Chicago. At the 2005 NCAA Division III singles championships,
Ward advanced to the round of 16 en route to garnering All-America honors. Other players (listed
alphabetically) distinguished themselves at the State Tournaments in which they competed during my tenure:
David Brock, Chris Bryan, John Galanis, Jordan Hughes, David Kennedy, Derek Schneider, Joe
Weasler, and brothers Nick, Peter and Max Woods. Because of the depth of the MUHS tennis program,
players who played at lower positions during my five years would certainly have been standouts at most other
schools.
I was blessed to have strong and wise coaches assisting me during my five years as head coach. Wisconsin
high school coaching legend Mike Donovan was a valuable source of advice, not only in the initial
transition but also throughout my five years. Paul Stockhausen and Jeff Mrochinski sacrificed much time
from their families to provide wonderful support in a variety of ways to me and the players. Dan Karasch and
Luigi Schmitt performed ably as coaches at the J.V. and Varsity Reserve levels, respectively, helping to
mold players who would later shine at the varsity level.
David Frank brings many skills and incredible dedication to the position of head varsity coach and director
of MUHS tennis. Under his leadership, the MUHS tennis program will remain a powerhouse for as long as
David chooses to remain involved. Go Marquette!
MUHS TENNIS 2000 - 2004
By Fr. Rob Kroll, S.J.
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