Pete Kendall

Head Men's & Women's Tennis Coach

Pete Kendall is a native of Marion, Ind. and is beginning his 15th year as head tennis coach for Truman. He is also an instructor in the health and exercise science division. In 1995 and 1998, Kendall was named MIAA women's coach of the year after the team took first-place in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association tournament.

Previously, he coached the tennis squads at Methodist College in Fayetteville, N.C., for four years. In addition to his coaching duties, Kendall served as an instructor, director of professional tennis management and a volunteer assistant football coach.

Under his direction, the women's tennis team won the Dixie Conference title each year and was ranked nationally in NCAA Division III. The men captured the conference championship twice and were also ranked nationally.

Before Kendall's arrival, MC had never notched a men's or women's league title. He was named the conference men's coach of the year twice and the women's coach of the year three times.

From 1982-88, Kendall was the tennis specialist at the Bahrain Sport Institute and coached the Bahrain National Junior Tennis Team which won six Persian Gulf championships. Since returning from Bahrain, Kendall has taken players and/or teams to the NCAA tournament all but one year.

Between 1970-82, Kendall served as tennis coach, assistant professor of physical education, intramural director, assistant football coach, admissions counselor and director at William Penn College (Iowa). He was also the tennis pro at the Elmhurst Country Club in Oskaloosa. Coach Kendall was inducted into the William Penn Athletic Hall of Fame in 1998.

Kendall was a teacher and coach at West Muskingum schools in Zanesville, Ohio, from 1967-70 and in Leipsic, Ohio, from 1966-67.

He earned a bachelor of arts degree from William Penn and a Master of Arts degree from Ball State University (Ind.), both in physical education.

Kendall and his wife of 39 years, Lynn, reside in Kirksville. She is a teacher with the Parents as Teachers Program for the Kirksville Public Schools.