Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Buck Bouldin, Long-Time Middle Tennessee Tennis Coach, passes away at 94
3/7/2023 3:16:00 PM | Men's Tennis
The Murfreesboro Attorney laid the foundation of success for MTSU Tennis as head coach in the 1960s
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Granville "Buck" Bouldin, who helped put the MTSU men's tennis program on the map as head coach from 1964-71 before becoming a long-time volunteer assistant, mentor and fan to countless Blue Raiders tennis players, passed away on Tuesday, March 7 at the age of 94.
"Both the MTSU and tennis communities mourn the passing of Buck Bouldin, a proud alumnus of our university, who served as head coach of our tennis program for seven years, from 1965 to 1971," said President Sidney McPhee. "His service to MTSU continued well beyond his years as a head coach and remained a volunteer, mentor and friend to our student-athletes and coaches for decades. My wife, Elizabeth, and I share our condolences on behalf of all Blue Raiders to his family."
The on-campus tennis courts, where Bouldin would often play before, during and after his tenure as head coach of the program, are named in his honor. Bouldin was inducted into the Blue Raider Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.
"Buck Bouldin was the bedrock of MTSU Tennis," Director of Athletics Chris Massaro said. "Every success we've had the last 30 years can be traced back to Buck's foundation, whether it's been through the great Dale Short years, the great Jimmy Borendame years, and all the coaches in between, Buck's been an integral part. We'll miss his mentorship and his friendship."
Funeral plans have yet to be announced by the family.
"Buck Bouldin's impact has been exponential on the court, off the court, for me personally as a coach and as a man," Middle Tennessee Men's Tennis Coach Jimmy Borendame said. "I don't even think I had signed the dotted line to come to Murfreesboro when Coach hunted me down and reached out to me. For 13 years, he would call and touch base with me after every match I coached. He had unconditional love and support for me and the team."
Already a successful attorney in Murfreesboro after graduating from Washington and Lee University, Bouldin, an avid tennis player, was offered a part-time job coaching the MTSU Tennis program by AD Charles "Bubber" Murphy in 1964, taking over a program that had won just two matches in the prior four seasons with a salary of $300 a year and 3.5 scholarships for his players.
A former Marine captain, Bouldin's tennis knowledge and competitive nature helped revitalize the program. He would lead the Blue Raiders to a 10-1 record in his first season and go on to be named OVC Coach of the Year twice (1965, 1968) while serving as head coach of the program until 1971. During that time, Bouldin coached the program's first two All-OVC Players (Jean Prevost in 1968, Mike Albano in 1969).
He continued his relationship with the program long after his time as head coach was over, serving as a volunteer assistant coach under his successors, most notably Blue Raider Hall of Famer Dale Short, who he also coached when Short was a student-athlete on the MTSU team.
"Buck Bouldin was a great, tough mentor, like a father to me, who was so dedicated and so loyal to MTSU Tennis through thick and thin," Short said. "He inspired loyalty in so many of his players, who all called him 'Mr. B.' We will all miss him dearly."
Even after finishing coaching, Bouldin was a staple at courtside wherever the Blue Raiders played, often cheering on MTSU with his signature holler alongside his wife Martha, always the loudest Blue Raider fan at the match, to the point often irking the opposing team, Short said.
Those who knew Bouldin best remember his uncanny ability for oral history, often being able to remember point-by-point breakdowns of matches decades in the past when recalling them to former players. His love of history, his faith and knowledge of the Bible, as well as his skill as an orator, both from his reputation as a trial attorney and his skill in motivational skill speaking, as Short recalled his rousing speech before the Blue Raiders upset Boise State in 1997 at the HEB Invitational in Corpus Christi, Texas, will be missed by the countless Blue Raiders Buck Bouldin befriended.
"Both the MTSU and tennis communities mourn the passing of Buck Bouldin, a proud alumnus of our university, who served as head coach of our tennis program for seven years, from 1965 to 1971," said President Sidney McPhee. "His service to MTSU continued well beyond his years as a head coach and remained a volunteer, mentor and friend to our student-athletes and coaches for decades. My wife, Elizabeth, and I share our condolences on behalf of all Blue Raiders to his family."
The on-campus tennis courts, where Bouldin would often play before, during and after his tenure as head coach of the program, are named in his honor. Bouldin was inducted into the Blue Raider Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.
"Buck Bouldin was the bedrock of MTSU Tennis," Director of Athletics Chris Massaro said. "Every success we've had the last 30 years can be traced back to Buck's foundation, whether it's been through the great Dale Short years, the great Jimmy Borendame years, and all the coaches in between, Buck's been an integral part. We'll miss his mentorship and his friendship."
Funeral plans have yet to be announced by the family.
"Buck Bouldin's impact has been exponential on the court, off the court, for me personally as a coach and as a man," Middle Tennessee Men's Tennis Coach Jimmy Borendame said. "I don't even think I had signed the dotted line to come to Murfreesboro when Coach hunted me down and reached out to me. For 13 years, he would call and touch base with me after every match I coached. He had unconditional love and support for me and the team."
Already a successful attorney in Murfreesboro after graduating from Washington and Lee University, Bouldin, an avid tennis player, was offered a part-time job coaching the MTSU Tennis program by AD Charles "Bubber" Murphy in 1964, taking over a program that had won just two matches in the prior four seasons with a salary of $300 a year and 3.5 scholarships for his players.
A former Marine captain, Bouldin's tennis knowledge and competitive nature helped revitalize the program. He would lead the Blue Raiders to a 10-1 record in his first season and go on to be named OVC Coach of the Year twice (1965, 1968) while serving as head coach of the program until 1971. During that time, Bouldin coached the program's first two All-OVC Players (Jean Prevost in 1968, Mike Albano in 1969).
He continued his relationship with the program long after his time as head coach was over, serving as a volunteer assistant coach under his successors, most notably Blue Raider Hall of Famer Dale Short, who he also coached when Short was a student-athlete on the MTSU team.
"Buck Bouldin was a great, tough mentor, like a father to me, who was so dedicated and so loyal to MTSU Tennis through thick and thin," Short said. "He inspired loyalty in so many of his players, who all called him 'Mr. B.' We will all miss him dearly."
Even after finishing coaching, Bouldin was a staple at courtside wherever the Blue Raiders played, often cheering on MTSU with his signature holler alongside his wife Martha, always the loudest Blue Raider fan at the match, to the point often irking the opposing team, Short said.
Those who knew Bouldin best remember his uncanny ability for oral history, often being able to remember point-by-point breakdowns of matches decades in the past when recalling them to former players. His love of history, his faith and knowledge of the Bible, as well as his skill as an orator, both from his reputation as a trial attorney and his skill in motivational skill speaking, as Short recalled his rousing speech before the Blue Raiders upset Boise State in 1997 at the HEB Invitational in Corpus Christi, Texas, will be missed by the countless Blue Raiders Buck Bouldin befriended.
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