Southwest Tennessee Community College

February 22, 2006

For More Information, Contact: Keith Gentry (901) 333-4114/ (901) 619-1899

Hall Of Fame Coaches In TJCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Tourney
Release written by Keith Gentry

Three Hall of Fame coaches will be on the sidelines in this year’s TJCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Basketball Tournament March 7-12 at the newly renovated Verties Sails Gymnasium. In addition to Southwest head men’s coach Verties Sails Jr., Walters State’s Bill Carlyle and David Kragel are also members of the TJCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Hall of Fame.

Tournament champions will represent the TJCCAA and Region VII in the NJCAA National Tournament March 21-25. The men’s national tournament will be held in Hutchinson, Kansas while Salina, Kansas is the site for the women’s tourney.

Sails, now in his 27th season as the Saluqis’ head coach, has compiled a record of 580-228 for a .718 winning percentage. He has guided his teams to 18 West Division titles, 13 TJCCAA State Championships, and seven Region VII championships and national tournament appearances. This season, Sails has led Southwest to a 19-3 overall record, a 16-2 conference record, and a ranking of number 9 in the latest NJCAA Division I Poll. Ten times, Sails has been named TJCCAA Coach of the Year and received the Junior and Community College Achievement Award from the TJCCAA in 1994. In 2005, Sails was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and in 2004 was inducted into both the NJCAA Hall of Fame in Hutchinson, Kansas and the Memphis Amateur Sports Hall of Fame.

Carlyle is in his 29th year as head men’s basketball coach at Walters State and has led his teams to 13 Eastern Division Championships and seven TJCCAA Championships. He has been honored as Coach of the Year 14 times. In 1999, Carlyle was inducted into the Cumberland College Athletic Hall of Fame and the Tennessee Junior and Community College Hall of Fame, and in 2000 he was inducted into the Morristown High School Alumni Hall of Fame and the TJCCAA/Region VII Hall of Fame.

Kragel is in his 29th year as head women’s basketball coach at Walters State. His teams have won 12 Eastern Division Championships, seven State Championships and four Region VII Championships and national tournament appearances. He has been named TJCCAA coach of the year 11 times throughout his career, and in 2005 he was named NJCCAA Region VII coach of the year. In December of 2004, Kragel was inducted into the TJCCAA/Region VII Hall of Fame.

In addition to Southwest, the TJCCAA/NJCAA Region VII Tournament will feature Chattanooga State Technical and Community College, Cleveland State Community College, Columbia State Community College, Dyersburg State Community College, Hiwassee College, Jackson State Community College, Motlow State Community College, Roane State Community College, Saint Catharine College, Volunteer State Community College and Walters State Community College.