COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Kenny Doyle, an assistant coach at
Winthrop University for the past three years and former head coach
at Campbell University for 10 years, has been named as head coach
of the Tennessee Tech men’s and women’s tennis
teams.
Doyle, 52, begins his new position Thursday.
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to coach at
Tennessee Tech, and I’m excited about the possibility of
competing for the championships in the Ohio Valley
Conference,” Doyle said. “I’m looking forward to
meeting the players and getting to work.
“I would like to thank Mark Wilson, Frank Harrell and the
athletic administration for this opportunity,” he added.
Doyle enjoyed a high level of success in both his roles as a head
coach and assistant coach, something that TTU Director of Athletics
Mark Wilson expects to continue.
“We’re pleased to bring Kenny to Tennessee Tech and we
look forward to him leading both our women’s and men’s
teams to Ohio Valley Conference championships and unprecedented
success, both on the tennis courts and academically.”
Throughout his coaching career, Doyle said he has crossed paths
with Tennessee Tech teams, but his squads have never faced a Golden
Eagle squad.
“I remember meeting Randy Smith at tournaments, and I know
Tennessee Tech teams have been successful,” Doyle said.
“There have been some very strong players at the university,
and I look forward to continuing that tradition and building upon
it.”
A 1980 Campbell graduate with a degree in business administration,
Doyle worked for four years in private business before embarking on
his coaching career in 1985. He was named head coach of the
men’s team at his alma mater.
His men’s team at Campbell reeled off a string of 31
consecutive Big South Conference dual match victories between 1988
and 1994, winning four league titles.
In 1990, he was also given the reins of the women’s team and
went 71-22 with two championships and three second-place finishes.
Overall, he led Fighting Camel squads to six Big South Conference
championships and was named the league’s Coach of the Year in
1989, 1990 and 1993.
He posted a combined 190-131 men’s and women’s record
while at Campbell, and his 1993 women’s team was considered
one of the nation’s top 40 programs. Under his direction,
Campbell’s teams produced 44 all-conference players and eight
times earned Player of the Year honors. One of his women’s
team members was named All-America and four players earned national
rankings.
“It’s all about recruiting and finding the best
players that we can get to Tennessee Tech,” Doyle said.
“It’s working with them to be motivated and excited
about playing and competing, helping them to grow and develop as an
athlete, as a person and as a student.”
In addition to their success on the court, Doyle’s teams
also notched winning marks in the classroom with 35
student-athletes named to the conference honor roll and one named
CoSIDA Academic All-America. Twice his teams ranked first among all
of Campbell’s athletic squads for highest combined team
grade-point average. One of his players won the Big South Award for
Academic Excellence and finished first in the Campbell graduating
class. Another of his players finished third in the graduating
class a year later.
“I know that there is a high level of support for academics
at Tennessee Tech, and that’s a huge advantage for the
student-athletes that we will recruit,” Doyle said.
Doyle left Campbell after the 1995 season, and following 12 years
in private business he returned to collegiate coaching in 2007 as
assistant coach at Winthrop. He helped the Eagle teams enjoy a high
level of success in the Big South Conference during the past three
years. The women’s team won the regular season title all
three years, and after a second place finish in 2007, the team won
league tournament championships the past two years to advance to
the NCAA tournament. The men’s squad won the 2007 regular
season crown and has been conference tournament runner-up all three
years.
During his undergraduate days, Doyle was a four-year letterman for
Campbell and was named the team MVP in 1979.
Doyle is married to the former Cathy Oliver and has two grown
sons, Nick and Christopher.