March 7, 2007
For Immediate Release
Contact Rama Peroo, Director of Institutional Communications, (620) 441-5587 or peroo@cowley.edu

Hargrove to be inducted into NJCAA Hall of Fame

Closing in on 800 wins during his illustrious coaching career at Cowley College, Lady Tiger softball coach Ed Hargrove was recently informed he had been selected for induction into the National Junior College Athletic Association Hall of Fame.
Hargrove's induction will take place at this year's NJCAA Division II National Softball Tournament held in Normal, Ill. May 17-19.

Despite his tremendous success, Hargrove was not expecting to be inducted into the elite group of NJCAA Hall of Fame inductees.

“It was a surprise,” Hargrove said. “I am honored to be included with the other people in the Hall of Fame. The NJCAA Hall of Fame is a pretty exclusive group, if I would win 1,000 games I wouldn't think I would make it into that group.”
Hargrove is the winningest coach in Cowley sports history, and his 787 victories in 22 seasons rank him second in the nation on the National Junior College Athletic Association's wins list of active softball coaches. Also, the 787 victories are the most by any coach in Region VI.
Hargrove has been named the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division Coach of the Year six times. Hargrove also earned Coach of the Year honors in 1997 (28-4 in the East), 1998 (28-4), 1999 (29-3), 2000 (29-3), 2004 (16-2), and 2005 (18-0).
Last season, Cowley finished 47-11 overall and 17-1 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division. The Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division title was the program's 13th with Hargrove as coach.
The 47 wins also marked the ninth consecutive season of 40 or more victories for the Lady Tigers, and the ninth consecutive season the team was ranked in the top-20 of the NJCAA rankings as Cowley was ranked as high as second in the country.
Hargrove has led the Lady Tigers to back-to-back fourth place finishes at the NJCAA National Tournament.
The always modest Hargrove deflects any praise directed his way by saying his players deserve a lot of the credit.
“Fortunately, I have been able to recruit some good players that have won a lot of ball games for me,” Hargrove said.
Hargrove's wife, Linda, coached at Cowley and is also in the NJCAA Hall of Fame. Since leaving Cowley she has gone on to make a name for herself as a general manager in the WNBA.
Ed is happy for his wife's success, but also feels his induction into the NJCAA Hall of Fame will help him be known more for his accomplishments rather than that of his wife.
“To me this kind of validates my career,” Hargrove said.
Ed and Linda have been married 36 years. They have two children: Tara, a 1994 graduate of Wichita State University, and Brian, a 1998 graduate of WSU. Tara is a stay-at-home mother, and she and husband Jeff have three children, Jacob 8, Brynn 5, and Halle 4. Tara played for her dad at Cowley in 1991. Brian lives in Wichita and is the Director of Events and Marketing for the Greater Wichita Sports Commission. He attended Cowley during the 1994-95 school year.
Hargrove grew up in Arkansas City and attended school at Cowley. Linda also attended Cowley as did their children, Tara and Bryan. Having achieved such great success at the school he grew up cheering for and later playing for, Hargrove is thrilled to be going into the NJCAA Hall of Fame as a Cowley Tiger.
“This has been a dream job for me,” Hargrove said.