Thank you for your message expressing interest in Boise State and our Tennis Program. I am very interested in you joining our tennis program and getting the opportunity to coach you and help you realize and achieve your dreams and goals in tennis. I know that we have something very special to offer you here at Boise State University.
My main philosophy is that I want the student-athlete experience for you to be one in which your development is in an environment that is fun, stimulating, and emphasizes the team concept. My favorite part of each and every day is being on the tennis court with the team, and that is my primary goal for the team. I call Boise State Tennis “Fun Ball”.
In the most recent pre-season poll for Division I tennis, Boise State Sophomore Luke Shields was ranked 13th in the national singles poll. Teammate, Senior Thomas Schoeck was ranked 118th. In doubles, the team of Schoeck-Shields are ranked 4th in the nation. In the recently completed All American tournament (the top fall National Collegiate tournament) Luke reached the round of 16 before bowing out to the #1 player in the nation by a score of 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
In doubles, the team of Schoeck-Shields lost in the round of 16.
The Boise State Team just finished first in the team competition of the Fall Regional Championships (this is a individual tournament with the 18 Mountain Regional Teams competing) in late October, 2005. Luke Shields captured the singles championship and teamed with teammate Thomas Schoeck to win the doubles championship. By virtue of winning the region, Boise State will be hosting the top four teams in a team playoff on January 21 at Boise State to determine the regional representative at the National Team Indoor Championships in Seattle, Washington. This tournament is for the top 16 teams in the nation. Boise State has qualified for this tournament the past two years.
During the first week of November, Broncos Luke Shields and Thomas Schoeck played in the prestigious National Individual Indoor Championships in Columbus, Ohio. Luke was seeded 6th and reached the round of 16 by defeating the #53 player in the nation. In doubles, the tandem of Schoeck and Shields who are ranked 4th in the nation (and seeded 4th in the Indoors) reached the semi finals of the Indoor Championships. Going into the Spring Team season, Luke looks to be ranked in the top ten of national singles. Our doubles team of Schoeck and Shields will be ranked as a top 4 team in the nation.
I have just completed my third season back at Boise State University after leading Boise State to a top ten status from 1993-1998 and a four year hiatus as a USA National Coach from 1998-2002. This past season we had an outstanding 31-8 record and finished the season ranked 31st in the nation.(Division I has over 280 University Tennis Programs and is the highest level of American Collegiate Tennis.). Boise State won the WAC Tennis Conference Championship this past season for the 2nd time out of the past 3 years. We were ranked #1 in the Mountain Region (consists of 20 Universities). Our #1 player, freshman Luke Shields finished the season ranked ranked 33rd in the nation an ranked #1 in singles and doubles in the Mountain Region . Luke reached the round of 16 and was named an All American in singles and in doubles with his teammate Thomas Schoeck. Luke was named the freshman of the Year by the Mountain Region and was named along with Thomas Schoeck to the All WAC team. For the third straight year, a Bronco Teannis Player was named the Regional Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship and Leadership Award (Beck Roghaar in 2005, Guillaume Bouvier in 2004, and Marcus Berntson in 2003). Coach Patton was named the WAC Conference Coach of the Year this season and the Regional Coach of the Year in 2004. Six Bronco tennis players were named Academic All Americans as well as All WAC Academic players (Luke Shields, Beck Roghaar, Ikaika Jobe, Ehren Vaughan, Brent Werbeck, and Nils Klemann). The Boise State Tennis Team also won National Academic Team Awards for exemplary Academic Achievement in the classroom.
One of my most exciting experiences was when I returned back to Boise State to coach the Broncos in 2002-03. I joined the team as the tennis coach mid season when they were 5-5 and not nationally ranked. From that moment on, we went 13-3 with victories over 6 top ranked schools, captured the WAC Conference Championship (with wins over top forty Tulsa, Top 30 SMU and top 20 Rice). In the NCAA Team Championships we defeated #34 Arizona before falling to #4 California. We went from being unranked to #34 in the nation for the final team ranking. This was the greatest advancement in national team rankings for any school during the entire season..
How is Boise State Special for you:
ACADEMICS
For the second straight year (2002 & 2003) Boise State was ranked #1 in the United States by the NCAA with the highest student-athlete graduation rate. Boise State was awarded $25,000 as part of the USA Today/NCAA Academic Achievement Awards Program for this accomplishment.
We care about you scholastically and offer tremendous academic help. The tennis team has two academic advisors who counsel you on course loads, class choices, and monitor your academic progress. We also provide tutors to our student-athletes to make sure that you excel in the classroom and stay on track to graduate.
The Men’s Tennis Team at BSU consistently has the highest overall grade point average for athletic teams at Boise State. Last season we had two 4.0 GPA student athletes and 3 Academic All-Americans. Last season, Boise State was named an All American Academic Institution based on outstanding academic achievements for the 2003-04 school year.
TENNIS AND ATHLETIC FACILITIES
Boise State possesses one of the finest and most beautiful tennis facilities in the United States. This is evidenced by the brand new Appleton Tennis Center which was named the 2002 Tennis Facility of the Year by the USTA and also by the National Architecture Association(US Tennis Court and Track Builders Association). The Appleton Tennis Center includes six individually fenced and lighted tennis courts, permanent seating for 1500 spectators, a tennis team lounge, men’s and women’s lockers rooms, coaches offices, public rest rooms, and a concession area. The beautiful landscaping and architecture complement the center location in the heart of the campus. In addition, BSU also possesses the six court BSU Boas Indoor Tennis Complex with offices, team rooms, computer room, team locker rooms, sports medicine and training rooms. To view the facilities you can go online to www.broncosports.com and click on to “facilities” and you will be able to discover how beautiful and unique our tennis facilities are.
There is nothing more exciting and beautiful than to witness a capacity crowd cheering on our tennis team. This past season, you would have had chills playing as a Bronco in front of 2,000 orange clad Bronco fans in our matches with North Carolina and Texas A&M in the NCAA Team Championships hosted at Boise State.
CONDITIONING AND WEIGHT TRAINING
Boise State has three gyms for the student population (a brand new state of the art Recreation Facility is one of them). Or tennis program utilizes the Athletic Gym and Weight Training Facility with our own Strength and Conditioning Coach on our staff. Our goal is not only to be one of the best tennis teams in the nation, but also the best conditioned and most fit team as well in order to prevent injury and enhance performance.
SPORTS MEDICINE
BSU Tennis has our own trainer at each and every practice session, workout, and match. Our tennis program has sports medicine (training rooms at both our tennis facilities). Boise State also has one of the top Sports Medicine Complexes (the Idaho Sports Medicine Institute) in the nation which is located on our campus adjacent to the Athletic Offices. Athletes around the country and world utilize this Sports Medicine Facility when they undergo exams, surgery, and rehab. The Idaho Sports Medicine Institute consists of some of the finest sports medical Doctors and Physical Therapists in the nation.
COACHING
Assistant Coaches
We have two assistant coaches at Boise State University who I consider to be the finest coaches in collegiate tennis.
My two assistants are:
Morgan Shepherd is returning as the Bronco Associate Coach after serving as Assistant Coach with Coach Patton during the 1997-98 season and was instrumental in the Bronco’s top twenty National ranking that season. He has served as the Head Coach for Pomona-Pitzer College (one of the top NCAA Division III programs in the nation) before joining Coach Patton in 1997. Since 1999, Morgan has lead the Idaho Tennis Association as the Executive Director. The Idaho Tennis Association is the USTA District for the state of Idaho. He has also assisted Coach Patton with National Training Camps during Coach Patton’s tenure as a National Coach. Coach Shepherd presently coaches ATP Professional players as well as conducts workouts with sectionally and nationally ranked junior players. In college Morgan was an NCAA Division III Finalist in singles for UC Santa Cruz, a team which he lead to the NCAA finals in all four of his seasons.
Matt Shaine Matt is our volunteer coach who is starting this coming season. Matt served as the Assistant Coach for the past three seasons at Brown University. Coach Shaine was directly responsible for the great success that Brown has achieved the past three seasons. This past season Brown under the tutelage of Coach Shaine won the prestigious Ivy League Championship, possessed a 23-6 record, a NCAA berth, and a national ranking of 40 in the nation. This past season, Matt was honored by Region I as the Regional Assistant Coach of the Year.
We also have a prominent Sports Psychologists (Dr.James Hollingsworth) who work with our team. In addition, the tennis team meets and consults with Hilary Horton Brown, who is a certified sports nutritionist. We spare no cost in providing our athletes the cutting edge of support and assistance for their needs to develop into the finest student-athlete that they can become.
Coach Greg Patton
The most important aspect that Boise State has to offer is my total involvement as your Coach. I am here to care about you, to lead you, to develop as a player, and to have a vision where you are going in life as a player, person, and student. I have coached the top USA Juniors, top collegiate players, and at the Professional Level over the past 26 years.
I was named the NCAA National Coach of the Year twice (at UC Irvine in 1987 and at Boise State in 1997). From 1983-1987 and then from 1998-2002 I served as a US National Coach. (In the 80s I had Pete Sampras, Michael Chang, Jim Courier, Pat McEnroe, Malavai Washington, David Wheaton, Luke Jenson, etc.. on our squads). In 2002 I lead the USA to our first World Junior Cup Championship in the Czech Republic. My track record in collegiate tennis stands. I have taken two universities from relative obscurity to the pinnacle of collegiate tennis. (UC Irvine from 1980-1993 and Boise State from 1993-1998 and last season) and developed them into National Championship contenders. Both programs were consistent top ten schools in Division I and both were ranked as high as #2 in the nation (UCI in 1988 and BSU in 1997).
During the summer I coach in the Professional World Team Tennis league. This past summer I had Andy Roddick on our team. Andy will once again play on our team this summer. Other players who have played for me in World Team Tennis are Robby Ginepri, Sargis Sargisian, Ricky Leach, Brian Wilson (who was the top collegiate player in the USA two seasons ago), Zina Garrison, and Amy Frazier to name just a few. I have been named the World Team Tennis Coach of the Year twice in 1993 and 1995. My goal is to develop you to be successful at the professional level. To do this, I stay involved at the highest level of Men’s Professional Tennis by coaching World Team Tennis during the summers since 1990.
BOISE STATE TENNIS LEGACY
Boise State has had seven All American Honorees.
They are: Ernesto Diaz (1997), Albin Poloyni (1997), Leif Meinke (2000 & 2001), Wesley Moodie (2000 & 2001), Guillaume Bouvier (2004), Luke Shields (2005) and Thomas Schoeck (2005).
We are very proud of Wesley Moodie who has attained a top 60 ATP ranking, and just made tennis history by being the first player to go through qualifying to win the Wimbledon Doubles Championship.
FAN SUPPORT
It is well know that Boise State has enthusiastic and rabid fan support. We average hundreds of fans at the Appleton Tennis Center. If you want to play in front of large crowds who live and die with your tennis, we are the school for you. I have been asked on many occasions to speak to coaching groups regarding how to promote a tennis program and generate crowds to matches. As I mentioned before, if you join us, be ready to play in front of over thousand spectators cheering on each and every shot you make.
MEDIA SUPPORT
BSU Tennis receives outstanding coverage from the state wide newspaper, television, and radio. Several of our matches have been televised for the Northwest. You will be known not only in Boise, but across the state of Idaho as an extraordinary and elite athlete.
SCHEDULE
Doesn’t get any better than this. To be the best, we play the best. We have a national schedule that includes the top ranked teams from across the nation (East, South, Midwest, and West). Next season we will have some of the top tennis powers on our schedule, this includes Stanford, UCLA, Texas A&M, Pepperdine, Arizona, William and Mary, etc… Our conference (The WAC) is one of the finest conferences in the nation. The past four years we had five top 50 nationally ranked schools in our conference (Rice, SMU, Fresno State, Tulsa, and ourselves). In addition we also have Hawaii (we played them in Hawaii this season) and University of Nevada.
Our conference next season will consist of the new additions of New Mexico State, University of Idaho, and Utah State. That is one major reason that our two Conference Championships from the past three seasons was such a major title in Collegiate tennis since the WAC Conference is considered one of the top four conferences (out of the 28 Division I Conferences in the nation).
If you are interested in playing in an environment and a program that is FUN, exciting, and stimulating and which makes team comradery a priority. Then Boise State is the school for you.
I will be attaching some further information on our program.
Warmest regards,
Coach Greg Patton
Boise State University
1910 University Dr.
Boise, ID 83725
office 208 426-5706
cell 208 484-2432
email pattontennis@msn.com or gpatton@boisestate.edu
Boise State Athletics website www.broncosports.com
College tennis online Boise State Website http://www.collegetennisonline.com/view/team.asp?tmid=14
