Charlotte Tennis Coach Kyle Bailey Selected Coach Of The Year
Charlotte Men’s Tennis Head Coach Kyle Bailey has been named the American Athletic Conference’s Coach of the Year, the league announced Wednesday afternoon.
Bailey earned the honor after guiding the 49ers to an American Athletic Conference Championship in their first season in the league.
The Niners are 19-7 overall this season and the 19 wins tie a program record set in 2007. After entering the 12-team conference tournament as a six seed, Charlotte won four matches in four days to claim the conference crown. In the title match against top-seeded Memphis on April 21, the Niners rallied from a near-insurmountable 3-0 deficit to win 4-3 and etch their names in AAC lore.
In addition to Charlotte claiming its second league title (2007) in program history, the Niners clinched an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament for the second time (2007) in school history.
The 49ers currently sit at No. 46 in the ITA National Team Rankings and will play No. 21 Alabama on Friday, May 3 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Durham, N.C.
Coach Bailey is the second Charlotte Men’s Tennis coach to win coach of the year honors in program history. Jim Boykin received coach of the year accolades in 2007.
Bailey accomplished this feat without having a singles player or doubles team named to the all-conference squad this season.
This is Bailey’s fifth season at the helm of the Niners and before this magnificent campaign, Bailey’s best season was in 2021-22 when he guided Charlotte to a 17-7 record, an appearance in the Conference USA Championship title match, and he led the Niners to their highest-ever ITA National Team Ranking at No. 43.