DEMOREST — Former tennis professional Dick Stockton has been hired to lead the Piedmont men's tennis program announced by Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jim Peeples.
The former tennis professional boasts a storied 15-year professional career including mixed doubles titles at the US Open and French Open. Stockton will serve as head coach of the men's tennis team and assistant coach for the women's tennis program.
Stockton was ranked as high as 8th in the world in 1977, six years after turning professional. He won the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship in 1975 and the French Open Mixed Doubles Championship in 1984. He also was a five-time member of the US Davis Cup Team during the '70s.
"I am truly honored to be joining the Piedmont College family," Stockton said. "I want to thank Coach Peeples for giving me this opportunity. I look forward to working with Trey Martin in an effort to take both the men's and the women's tennis programs to the next level."
He posted back-to-back quarterfinal appearances in the US Open singles in 1976 and 1977 and was a semi-finalist in the Wimbledon singles in 1974 and the French Open singles in 1978. He also won the US Open 35-and-Over Doubles Championship three times and the US Open 45-and-Over Doubles Championship three times. The former pro also was the Wimbledon 45-and-Over Doubles Champion in 1997.
Stockton's career victories include wins over John McEnroe, Arthur Ashe, Jimmy Connors, and Bjorn Borg among others. For his successful career, he has been inducted into four athletic Hall of Fame's including his alma mater Trinity University.
Stockton has collegiate head coaching experience from his stint as Head Men's Tennis Coach at the University of Virginia from 1998-2001. He led a pair of individuals to ITA All-American honors during his career at Virginia including Brian Vahaly who made four straight NCAA tournament singles appearances with a runner-up finish in 2001 under Stockton's leadership. Stockton also led Vahaly and Huntley Montgomery to a semifinal appearance in 2001 in the NCAA tournament for doubles.
"We are very excited to announce the hiring of Dick Stockton as our new Head Men's Tennis Coach," Peeples said. "I am excited to work with someone who is so passionate about giving back to a game that has given so much to him. The passion he has about the game of tennis is what genuinely stood out to me and I am excited for what the future holds."
He has spent the last 25 years serving in different capacities ranging from Director of Tennis for the Delray Beach Tennis Center to being President of Tennis Management Services, Inc. He currently is the President and Executive Director of Blue Sky Foundation, Inc., his own foundation that uses the sport of tennis to give back to service men and women and their families through its Boots on the Court program.
Stockton played his four-year collegiate career at Trinity University in Texas where he was a four-time All-American. He was the 1972 NCAA Singles Champion and Trinity won the 1972 NCAA Championship as a team. He was also the NCAA Doubles runner-up a year prior in 1971.
Stockton's success began as a junior winning 20 national junior titles which was a record at the time. He won both the Easter Bowl and the Orange Bowl in 1968 prior to beginning his collegiate career at Trinity University.
A 1972 graduate of Trinity University in Texas, Stockton manages all aspects of the men's tennis program while also serving as the assistant women's tennis coach.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2018/7/695813/tennis-legend-dick-stockton-named-piedmont-mens-tennis-coach