Thresher Athletics Hall of Fame
Marty Ward coached men's and women's tennis at Bethel College from 1985 to 1999 establishing one of the most dominant tennis programs in the history of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC). Ward's men's teams won 10 KCAC championships, went undefeated in KCAC dual matches, and qualified for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national championships five times from 1990 to 1999. His women's teams won 11 KCAC championships, lost only one KCAC dual match, and qualified for the NAIA national tennis championships six times from 1987 to 1998. The 1998-1999 women's team finished 17th in the nation, the highest finish by a Thresher tennis team at the national tennis championships. Ward finished his coaching career with a combined 306-124 overall record in dual matches, a combined 185-14 in KCAC dual matches, having been named KCAC Coach of the Year 20 times, and NAIA District 10 Coach of the Year twice. His athletes won 99 KCAC singles titles, 41 KCAC doubles titles, 12 NAIA District 10 singles titles, and four NAIA District 10 doubles titles. Ward coached 33 First Team All-KCAC selections, 26 Honorable Mention All-KCAC selections, eight KCAC Most Valuable Players, 17 Academic All-Conference selections, 17 NAIA All-District 10 selections, and seven NAIA All-America Scholar Athletes. In addition to his coaching duties, Ward served as Associate Director of Admissions, International Student Advisor, Sports Information Director, and was a member of Bethel's Faculty from 1995 until 1999.
