That philosophy paid off for his Cardinals this season as they culminated their year with the Mid-American Conference title, their 18th. The team also captured its 16th MAC Tournament crown and made its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance.

Richards holds the record as the winningest coach in school and MAC history. "I believe very much in challenging my players and trying to get more out of them than what they think they have to give," Richards says, modestly reflecting upon his success.

His players agree that the expectations Richards has for his teams motivates them to succeed. "Coach sets high goals for the team, and I feel responsible to keep the tradition and the legacy of the team going," senior player Paul Newman says.

Fellow senior teammate Matthew Laramore adds: "When you have an opportunity to do something special each time you play, you are always motivated to play your best." Laramore, who played in the number one and two slots this season, had almost hung up his tennis racket in high school until Richards began recruiting him.

Adhering to consistent expectations from year to year, Richards has been able to present his players with monumental opportunities. "Our main goals every year are to win the MAC regular season championship, win the MAC tournament, and go to the NCAA Tournament," he says. Other goals Richards hopes to achieve in a season are a winning record among Big-Ten opponents, ranking in the top-50 nationally, and advancing in the NCAA Tournament.

In addition to winning the MAC title, tournament championship, and an NCAA appearance this year, the Cardinals beat four out of seven Big-Ten opponents, including wins over Indiana and Purdue, victories of which Richards is especially proud.

Richards contends, "No one could have written a better script than the 500th win coming at the conference tournament championships." With the MAC Tournament title on the line, Laramore split sets and then broke serve to give Ball State its fourth point on the way to a 4-3 victory over Western Michigan for the title and Richards' milestone victory.

With a tradition of winning, Richards, who is in his 33rd year at the helm, earned MAC Coach of the Year and Region IV Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year laurels. Though honored to have received the awards, Richards remains humble. "They are all secondary to anything my team accomplishes," he says. "Any award I have is 100 percent shared with my players."

Richards tells his team every year that the season is not about him, that positioning his players to be triumphant is. "Coaches have long windows of opportunity to win and lose and accomplish different things throughout their careers," Richards says. "Athletes have very small windows of opportunity and it's all about these guys and what they did this year."

Knable, Laramore, and Newman knew they had one season to make Richards proud, show their leadership, and become a force to be reckoned with in the MAC. Knable went into the season wanting to be a role model for the underclassmen. "I hoped to show the younger guys that you have to work hard if you want to accomplish any of the goals that we set at the start of each season," he says. Knable, who will graduate in December with a bachelor's degree in communications studies, has garnered a 17-11 overall win-loss record since his freshman year.

Laramore also wanted to set a good example. Besides working hard everyday in practice, he says, "I wanted to set a good example off the court. Eating right, taking care of myself, and doing well in school" are instrumental for Laramore. With a 19 of 20 career-win record in the MAC, Laramore was named to the 2005 Academic All-MAC Team.

Newman, a native of Pretoria, South Africa, feels he supplied the emotional spark on the court to rally his team. Overall, he carried a 22-12 win-loss record in his  career. Newman, who graduated in May, plans to continue his education in medical school.

Being thousands of miles from his home, Newman says that the tennis team was more like a family than just a team. "Having the feeling of family is definitely something special," he says.

Richards credits the team's camaraderie to the size of the program. "Because we're a sport that deals with small numbers, I have the opportunity to get to know my players extremely well and become involved in their personal lives and family," he says, adding that on the court he is very much the boss, but off the court he enjoys maintaining friendships with his players.

Richards, wife Sue, and his children Rob and Kristi—both Ball State graduates—have extended their family to the tennis players, and in many ways are a major part of the team. Knable has fond memories from his experience of Sue being a "mom away from home" and the great dinners he had with the Richards' family.

The family also gave him the something extra he needed on the court as they attended almost every match. "I knew that the whole family was pulling for me and everyone else on the team and wanted the best for everyone," he says.

Although five new recruits are expected for next season and Richards looks forward to welcoming them into his family, he contends that the end of the current season is a sad time for a coach. "That's the toughest part of coaching, to have players leave and move on," he says. "After that last match in the NCAA Tournament against Florida State, it was tough." The Cardinals lost 4-0 to the 18th-ranked Seminoles.

With the end of a season as well as their collegiate careers, Knable, Laramore, and Newman cherish their opportunity to have been part of the tennis team. All agree that the closeness of the team will surpass even the days of playing. "Once you're a part of the program, you are a part of a family for the rest of your life," Laramore says.

As the three move on to pursue other goals, they will take with them the winning spirit and work ethic that Coach Richards has instilled.

Newman proudly takes with him a motto for life: "Never accept good enough," he says. "I will always strive for greater things and be the best person I can be in all things."