By Nathan Keil | Sports Editor
It didn’t take long for Baylor men’s tennis to find its new head coach.
Less than two weeks after 22-year Baylor veteran head coach Matt Knoll announced his resignation, the university announced his replacement—Brian Boland.
The announcement came by Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Mack Rhoades late Thursday evening.
“Brian Boland is a four-time national champion and one of the most respected coaches in tennis. We are absolutely thrilled he is joining the Baylor family,” Rhoades said in a statement. “Brian is a man of tremendous integrity who shares our common values of Preparing Champions for Life. His on court credentials speak for themselves, and under his leadership our men’s tennis program will continue to compete for national championships while living out the distinctively unique mission of Baylor University.”
Boland brings to Waco with him a championship pedigree. As the coach of the Cavaliers for 16 seasons, Boland led them to 13 straight Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) regular season titles (2004-2016) and 12 ACC Tournament championships in that same span. He won four national championships in a five-year span at the University of Virginia. Boland brought titles to Charlottesville, Va. in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Boland also led Virginia to the Intercollegiate Tennis Assocation Indoor Championship six times, 2008-2011, 2013 and 2017. Prior to coaching Virginia, he spent his first five years at his alma mater, Indiana State University, claiming three Missouri Valley Conference titles and leading the Sycamores to two NCAA Tournament berths.
In 21 years of coaching, Boland boasts a career 574-90 record and after two years as the head of men’s tennis for the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Player Development, said he is ecstatic to become a part of the Baylor family.
“My family and I are thrilled to be part of the Baylor Bears Athletic Department led by Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades and his team,” Boland said. “We are committed to Baylor’s mission and values, and we look forward to rejoining college tennis and continuing the tradition of excellence that has been established at Baylor.”
Top-ranked American tennis player and Georgia alum, John Isner, had extremely high praise for Boland when asked about the hire.
“Brian is the absolute best hire in the college tennis world,” Isner said in a statement. His resume speaks for itself. How he was able to turn UVA into a perennial power was extraordinary. There won’t be a harder working coach in college tennis. I know he’s excited to get going as a Baylor Bear.”
Baylor finished the 2018 season 21-10 overall, but just 1-4 in the Big 12. The Bears then defeated Arizona State 4-0 in the NCAA first round, but fell 4-1 to Texas A&M in the second round.
