Tennis (1963-67)

Curtis Richmond was one of the best tennis players produced during the great Clarence Dyer dynasty which lasted from the mid 1940’s to Coach Dyer’s retirement in 1973. He was born in Odessa, Texas on December 13, 1945 and attended public schools in Shawnee, Oklahoma, where he played basketball, football, and tennis. He was selected as Shawnee High School’s Athlete of the Year his senior year. His high school tennis team won the state championship twice and Richmond won the state singles championship in his senior year. His high school singles and doubles record was 82-4.

Following high school graduation in 1963, he matriculated to the Southeastern campus which had become widely known as a tennis power under Coach Dyer. He played on Savage teams that won four consecutive trips to the NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City. The Savages never finished lower than fourth in national tournament play during those years.

The Southeastern tennis teams were so dominant in conference play during Richmond’s college years that the semifinals and finals of the OCC tournament were always completely composed of Savages. The toughest opponents the Savages played were their teammates. Curtis won the conference singles championship in 1967 and won doubles titles in 1966 and 1967. He reached the doubles semifinals in the NAIA national championship tournament in 1966 and the quarterfinals in 1967 and was a singles quarterfinalist in the national tournament in 1967. He was named to the NAIA All-American tennis team in 1967.

Following graduation Richmond had an outstanding career as a teaching professional and was a top ranked player in men’s singles and doubles in Texas.

Curtis Richmond was one of Southeastern’s great tennis players. He has honored the university with his outstanding accomplishments both during and following his tennis career at Southeastern. The university was honored to name Curtis Richmond to the Athletic Hall of Fame on February 8, 1992.