Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
MT announces plans for new on-campus tennis complex
8/20/2021 2:15:00 PM | Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee State University will build a $4.8 million tennis outdoor campus complex to replace the 40-year-old courts that were greatly impacted by improvements to Middle Tennessee Boulevard.
The project, funded by gifts from former players, the local tennis community and funds set aside from the Middle Tennessee Boulevard road improvement project, should be ready by 2023. The Tennessee State Building Commission approved the project earlier this month and an architectural designer will be announced for the job on Aug. 23.
"We appreciate our players and supporters stepping forward to create a true competitive advantage for our tennis teams and further enhance our campus," said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee.
"When combined with the previous investments by the University and community in the Adams Tennis Complex, this project will make the facilities used by MTSU among the best in the region."
The complex, located on the site of the existing Buck Bouldin Tennis Courts at the corner of Middle Tennessee Boulevard and Greenland Drive, and will include eight competition courts with viewing stands. Preliminary plans also include coaches' offices and team locker rooms to be housed in a dedicated tennis building.
"We are excited about the tennis project moving forward. This approval allows us to move forward with the design phase to further enhance our tennis complex," MTSU Director of Athletics Chris Massaro said.
Massaro said the complex "comes on the heels of improvements to the school's softball and golf facilities, continuing Middle Tennessee's commitment to improving our facilities. This complex will enhance the vision for improvements in our athletic village area including a new Student Athlete Performance Center and improvements to Floyd Stadium, Murphy Center."
Head men's coach Jimmy Borendame called the new complex "a game changer for tennis not only at Middle Tennessee, but for the entire mid-state tennis community as a whole."
"It will be a huge benefit to our program and our student athletes to be able to finish classwork, workouts in the gym, and be in walking distance to play at a top-notch on-campus facility day in and day out."
Borendame added that the project will improve MTSU's outdoor home match environment and add an improved experience for fans. "With this new development and our indoor facility, the Adams Tennis Complex, our facilities will be elevated to the same level of numerous SEC and ACC programs," he said.
Women's tennis coach Tayo Bailey-Duvall said she "could not be more excited to move forward with the plans for updating our on-campus facility."
"Giving our student-athletes the opportunity to compete in the top-level on-campus facilities they deserve will only further enhance our program's student athlete experience," she said.
"Our program already benefits immensely from the Adams Tennis Complex, and offering a top outdoor spectator experience on MTSU's campus will only help our program, and the Murfreesboro tennis community, continue to grow."
In 2015, the City of Murfreesboro and MTSU officials opened the Adams Indoor Tennis Complex at Old Fort Park.
The 70,000-square-foot, $5.8 million complex is home to MTSU Tennis and features eight indoor tennis courts, two electronic scoreboards, pro shop and lounge area with a mezzanine for spectator viewing. It was built in a joint partnership with the City, MTSU and the Christy-Houston Foundation and donors.
And, in 2019, the city of Murfreesboro and Middle Tennessee State University celebrated the renovation of Middle Tennessee Boulevard, an $18.2-million project that turned the thoroughfare into a gateway for the campus.
It turned the boulevard into a four-lane, divided road with a landscaped median, MTSU-branded gates, new bike lanes, improved sidewalks and lighting, new traffic signals, decorative crosswalks, and underground utilities.
Federal funding, secured by former U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon before leaving Congress in 2011 and supported by former U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, was key to the project.
The project, funded by gifts from former players, the local tennis community and funds set aside from the Middle Tennessee Boulevard road improvement project, should be ready by 2023. The Tennessee State Building Commission approved the project earlier this month and an architectural designer will be announced for the job on Aug. 23.
"We appreciate our players and supporters stepping forward to create a true competitive advantage for our tennis teams and further enhance our campus," said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee.
"When combined with the previous investments by the University and community in the Adams Tennis Complex, this project will make the facilities used by MTSU among the best in the region."
The complex, located on the site of the existing Buck Bouldin Tennis Courts at the corner of Middle Tennessee Boulevard and Greenland Drive, and will include eight competition courts with viewing stands. Preliminary plans also include coaches' offices and team locker rooms to be housed in a dedicated tennis building.
"We are excited about the tennis project moving forward. This approval allows us to move forward with the design phase to further enhance our tennis complex," MTSU Director of Athletics Chris Massaro said.
Massaro said the complex "comes on the heels of improvements to the school's softball and golf facilities, continuing Middle Tennessee's commitment to improving our facilities. This complex will enhance the vision for improvements in our athletic village area including a new Student Athlete Performance Center and improvements to Floyd Stadium, Murphy Center."
Head men's coach Jimmy Borendame called the new complex "a game changer for tennis not only at Middle Tennessee, but for the entire mid-state tennis community as a whole."
"It will be a huge benefit to our program and our student athletes to be able to finish classwork, workouts in the gym, and be in walking distance to play at a top-notch on-campus facility day in and day out."
Borendame added that the project will improve MTSU's outdoor home match environment and add an improved experience for fans. "With this new development and our indoor facility, the Adams Tennis Complex, our facilities will be elevated to the same level of numerous SEC and ACC programs," he said.
Women's tennis coach Tayo Bailey-Duvall said she "could not be more excited to move forward with the plans for updating our on-campus facility."
"Giving our student-athletes the opportunity to compete in the top-level on-campus facilities they deserve will only further enhance our program's student athlete experience," she said.
"Our program already benefits immensely from the Adams Tennis Complex, and offering a top outdoor spectator experience on MTSU's campus will only help our program, and the Murfreesboro tennis community, continue to grow."
In 2015, the City of Murfreesboro and MTSU officials opened the Adams Indoor Tennis Complex at Old Fort Park.
The 70,000-square-foot, $5.8 million complex is home to MTSU Tennis and features eight indoor tennis courts, two electronic scoreboards, pro shop and lounge area with a mezzanine for spectator viewing. It was built in a joint partnership with the City, MTSU and the Christy-Houston Foundation and donors.
And, in 2019, the city of Murfreesboro and Middle Tennessee State University celebrated the renovation of Middle Tennessee Boulevard, an $18.2-million project that turned the thoroughfare into a gateway for the campus.
It turned the boulevard into a four-lane, divided road with a landscaped median, MTSU-branded gates, new bike lanes, improved sidewalks and lighting, new traffic signals, decorative crosswalks, and underground utilities.
Federal funding, secured by former U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon before leaving Congress in 2011 and supported by former U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, was key to the project.
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