Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Hall of Fame profile: Marco Born & Andreas Siljestrom
9/21/2017 4:00:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Won National Championship in 2007
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee has two team national championships in its history. The first came in 1965 by the men's golf team, and the second came from a pair of tennis players who on Saturday will become two of the newest members of the Blue Raider Hall of Fame.
Marco Born's and Andreas Siljestrom's run as the best doubles pair in Middle Tennessee tennis history came to a fitting close in 2007. With a three-set victory over the Illinois doubles team of Kevin Anderson and Ryan Rowe, Born and Siljestrom captured the NCAA Doubles National Championship and finished the season ranked fourth in the country – the highest final ranking of any doubles team in program history.
That was far from the Blue Raider duo's only accomplishment in the blue and white. They were two of just four players in program history to be named ITA All-Americans more than once (2006, 2007), and they captured the 2005 All-American Doubles National Championship. The pair was also named to the All-Sun Belt Doubles Team all three years they competed together (2005, 2006 and 2007).
It was easy to see what made Born and Siljestrom so successful together. Both had similar, powerful playing styles that meshed well. They also had an intimidating presence on the court – both stood at 6-foot-9 during their senior years at MT.
Playing and learning together helped mold Siljestrom's game into a career. Since graduating as the second all-time winningest player at Middle Tennessee (216 combined singles and doubles wins), the Sweden native has put together an 11-year professional tennis career in which he was at one time ranked as high as 57th in the ITF world doubles rankings.
"[Playing at MT] helped me mature on the court playing and as a man," he said. "Playing with Marco, I came into my own as a player … we had very similar styles – we played with a lot of power and we were good on the serve. It's really helped me in my career."
Born's life took a different path than his college teammate's. After graduating with a bachelor's degree, he decided to stay in Murfreesboro to pursue a master's, which he obtained in sport management in 2009 and turned into an administrative career that started at his alma mater.
Before moving into an executive associate athletics director for external operations position at LA Tech in 2014, Born had stints as associate athletics director and assistant athletics director for ticketing and marketing at MT.
But, Middle Tennessee is more than just a former place of employment and where Born starred on the tennis court for three years (he transferred from Tennessee Tech as a freshman). It's the place where he met his wife, Emily, who also played tennis for the Blue Raiders. His daughter, Scarlett Elizabeth, was also born in Murfreesboro.
"Middle [Tennessee] definitely holds a special place in our hearts," Born said.
In Siljestrom's four and Born's three years at MT, the two created a home very far away from home. Both are European – Siljestrom hails from Stockholm, Sweden, and Born is from Hannover, Germany.
They haven't been back to Murfreesboro in some time, making their return to the place that was at one time their American home all the more special.
"I've actually only been back a couple of times," Siljestrom said. "I'm excited to see what Murfreesboro looks like – I've heard it's growing. I think most of our teammates will be there, too, which should be exciting."
On Friday night, they'll be guests at a special dinner where they'll give speeches and reminisce. Former Blue Raider tennis coach Dale Short will also be on hand to share some unknown stories about the duo, who will follow with quips of their own.
Born already knows one tale he might include.
"Even though we won the NCAAs, we lost to probably one of the worst teams in the country at one point because the weather was too hot and Andreas is Swedish," he joked. "Any time it gets over 65 degrees, it's too warm for a Swede."
This is the fourth in a five-part series showcasing the five Blue Raider Hall of Fame inductees.
Marco Born's and Andreas Siljestrom's run as the best doubles pair in Middle Tennessee tennis history came to a fitting close in 2007. With a three-set victory over the Illinois doubles team of Kevin Anderson and Ryan Rowe, Born and Siljestrom captured the NCAA Doubles National Championship and finished the season ranked fourth in the country – the highest final ranking of any doubles team in program history.
That was far from the Blue Raider duo's only accomplishment in the blue and white. They were two of just four players in program history to be named ITA All-Americans more than once (2006, 2007), and they captured the 2005 All-American Doubles National Championship. The pair was also named to the All-Sun Belt Doubles Team all three years they competed together (2005, 2006 and 2007).
It was easy to see what made Born and Siljestrom so successful together. Both had similar, powerful playing styles that meshed well. They also had an intimidating presence on the court – both stood at 6-foot-9 during their senior years at MT.
Playing and learning together helped mold Siljestrom's game into a career. Since graduating as the second all-time winningest player at Middle Tennessee (216 combined singles and doubles wins), the Sweden native has put together an 11-year professional tennis career in which he was at one time ranked as high as 57th in the ITF world doubles rankings.
"[Playing at MT] helped me mature on the court playing and as a man," he said. "Playing with Marco, I came into my own as a player … we had very similar styles – we played with a lot of power and we were good on the serve. It's really helped me in my career."
Born's life took a different path than his college teammate's. After graduating with a bachelor's degree, he decided to stay in Murfreesboro to pursue a master's, which he obtained in sport management in 2009 and turned into an administrative career that started at his alma mater.
Before moving into an executive associate athletics director for external operations position at LA Tech in 2014, Born had stints as associate athletics director and assistant athletics director for ticketing and marketing at MT.
But, Middle Tennessee is more than just a former place of employment and where Born starred on the tennis court for three years (he transferred from Tennessee Tech as a freshman). It's the place where he met his wife, Emily, who also played tennis for the Blue Raiders. His daughter, Scarlett Elizabeth, was also born in Murfreesboro.
"Middle [Tennessee] definitely holds a special place in our hearts," Born said.
In Siljestrom's four and Born's three years at MT, the two created a home very far away from home. Both are European – Siljestrom hails from Stockholm, Sweden, and Born is from Hannover, Germany.
They haven't been back to Murfreesboro in some time, making their return to the place that was at one time their American home all the more special.
"I've actually only been back a couple of times," Siljestrom said. "I'm excited to see what Murfreesboro looks like – I've heard it's growing. I think most of our teammates will be there, too, which should be exciting."
On Friday night, they'll be guests at a special dinner where they'll give speeches and reminisce. Former Blue Raider tennis coach Dale Short will also be on hand to share some unknown stories about the duo, who will follow with quips of their own.
Born already knows one tale he might include.
"Even though we won the NCAAs, we lost to probably one of the worst teams in the country at one point because the weather was too hot and Andreas is Swedish," he joked. "Any time it gets over 65 degrees, it's too warm for a Swede."
This is the fourth in a five-part series showcasing the five Blue Raider Hall of Fame inductees.
Tuesday, March 31
Sunday, March 29
Sunday, March 29
Friday, March 27
