MTSU cuts ribbon on $8 million outdoor tennis complex [+VIDEO]

Middle Tennessee State University officials cut the ribbon Thursday, Feb. 1, to officially open the new $8 million Outdoor Tennis Complex located at the corner of Middle Tennessee Boulevard and Greenland Drive on campus. The new facility will host the 2024 CUSA Men’s Tennis Championships April 20-21.

University President Sidney A. McPhee praised the complex, saying our tennis coaches and athletics administrators “were adamant that to truly be a mainstay on a national stage, we needed to develop an advanced facility capable of meeting all the competition and practice needs of our teams, one that would not only be the best in the conference but would rival any program in the region.”

He added, “They were confident that this was a project that the community would embrace and were willing to do whatever it took to make it a reality.”

Middle Tennessee University President Sidney A. McPhee addresses the crowd inside Murphy Center Thursday, Feb. 1, as part of the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new $8 million Outdoor Tennis Complex on the north side of Murphy Center. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

Middle Tennessee University Athletic Director Chris Massaro, left, and MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee look over the new courts of the new $8 million Outdoor Tennis Complex on the north side of Murphy Center following a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, Feb. 1. (MTSU photo by James Cessna)

This new state of the art facility will serve as the on-campus home of MTSU’s men’s and women’s tennis programs, featuring new locker rooms, spectator facilities for 250 Blue Raiders fans, eight state of the art tennis courts and new coaches’ offices, among many other amenities.

“This is an elite facility and one our student-athletes, alumni, and fans will take great pride in,” said Director of Athletics Chris Massaro. “This will be a catalyst to move our tennis programs forward and improve on the great success we have already displayed. It is transformational and will be one of the best venues in the country.”

The locker rooms, offices, team lounge and concession stand will be located in the Allen Tennis Building, which is named for MTSU alum and entrepreneur Elizabeth Allen.

“Today is a monumental day for MTSU Tennis,” added men’s tennis head coach Jimmy Borendame. “I am very excited for our program and the direction we are heading. With approximately $14 million of investment into new tennis facilities, the university and the athletic department are giving our student-athletes and tennis programs some of the top facilities in the country. I am extremely grateful to lead the men’s tennis program at Middle Tennessee.”

Built on the same site as the Buck Bouldin Tennis Courts, the new tennis complex now joins The Grove golf facility, the Murphy Center smart windows and the Murphy Center video boards as projects completed by MTSU Athletics’ $100 million Build Blue capital campaign, with the goal to provide all 17 MTSU Athletic programs with the resources and infrastructure to compete at a championship level.

“We are so excited that this day has finally come,” said Tayo Bailey-Duvall, head women’s tennis coach. “Our new facility has been a long time in the making, from thoughts, to visions, to conception, now completion. The future of MTSU Tennis is moving to higher levels, and our facilities will now match that growth.”

Naming opportunities within the Outdoor Tennis Complex and the Allen Tennis Building are still available. Individuals wishing to join the Blue Raider Athletic Association and impact the student-athlete experience through the Build Blue campaign can contact Associate Athletic Director and Chief Development Officer Hans Malebranche at 630-770-6364 or Hans.Malebranche@mtsu.edu.