By Jenna Welch | Broadcast Reporter
The men’s tennis team looks a little different this year, especially with the addition of a four-time national champion as coach.
Earlier this semester, Mark Rhoades, Baylor vice president and cirector of intercollegiate athletics announced that Brian Boland would be the new director of tennis and head men’s tennis coach.
“Brian is a man of tremendous integrity who shares our common values of preparing champions for life,” Rhoades said. “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.”
Boland is trading in his Virginia navy blue and orange for the Baylor green and gold, and and said he couldn’t be more thrilled.
“I’ve been honored and humbled to become part of the Baylor family,” Boland said. “I knew that it was a really strong academic school and they had some great programs, but this is a unique place.”
Virginia finished in the top-10 nationally in each of the final 14 seasons in Boland’s 16-year tenure as head coach, including 11 consecutive seasons with a top-five final national ranking. He led the Cavaliers to national championships in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017, and UVA advanced to the national semifinals in 10 of his final 11 seasons, including each of the last eight years.
His teams achieved No. 1 national rankings in 10 different seasons, won six ITA National Team Indoor Championships and 12 ACC Championships, and Boland said he looks forward to bringing the same statistics to Baylor.
“People [at Baylor] are not only invested in being great on the field and on the court, but they want to be great in life,” Boland said.
