MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The 15th Annual Blue Raider Pro-Am Classic began Friday afternoon with a clinic and ended with an exhibition featuring a pair of former Middle Tennessee All-Americans, Fred Niemeyer and Paul Goebel.
The event began with a clinic for all those involved before Niemeyer and Goebel teamed up to play a doubles superset against a pair of former University of Kentucky All-Americans, John Yancy and Rich Benson. The Pro-Am officially opened the newly renovated courts at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Complex, a $150,000 renovation that included the resurfacing of courts and a covered seating area within the complex.
Niemeyer and Goebel defeated Yancy and Benson in a tiebreaker, 4-3 (7-5) before a dinner for all the participants and a message from head coaches Dale Short and Randy Holden and MT Athletic Director Boots Donnelly.
Niemeyer, a three-time All-American and three-time OVC Player of the Year, was ranked in the top five in singles competition during his tenure as a Blue Raider, and combined with Goebel for a No. 2 ranking in doubles during the 1994 season. Goebel was MT men's head coach Dale Short's first All-American and is currently ranked No. 1 in the 25-and-over division in the U.S. He is married to former MT women's tennis player Shelly Reed.
Yancy and Benson were both three-time All-Americans at Kentucky. Yancy won a U.S. Open junior doubles title as a youth and was ranked in the top 10 in singles during his years as a Wildcat. Benson was ranked in the top 10 in singles and top five in doubles at Kentucky, and currently serves as the General Manager of Tenni-Trac Sports Surfaces, the company that resurfaced eight of the 14 courts at the Tennis Complex during the renovation.
The Pro-Am continues Saturday morning with women's action beginning at 8:15 a.m. and men's action starting at 10:15 a.m. at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Complex. MT hosts the Men's Fall Invitational September 14-16 to begin fall competition at home.
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