16 years. Seven straight conference championships. More than $9 million raised. Two new facilities.   

Jimmy Borendame hasn’t just coached tennis at Middle Tennessee State University. He’s redefined it.  

In 16 years with the program, Borendame has steadily elevated Middle Tennessee State men’s tennis program through facility upgrades, player development and a clear long-term vision.   

Borendame has raised over twelve million dollars for new outdoor and indoor facilities for the Blue Raiders. Borendame’s first major project with the Blue Raiders came with the development of the Adams Tennis Complex, which opened in 2015. 

The $5.8 million project was created through a partnership between the city of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, MTSU and the Christy-Houston Foundation, with Borendame fundraising 3.2 million. 

Throughout the year, the Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department operates the facility, with Blue Raider tennis practices and matches held from November through March. 

The 70,000-square-foot-indoor complex features eight indoor tennis courts, two electronic scoreboards, and an upstairs mezzanine that overlooks all courts for spectator viewing. For Borendame, the indoor facility was never a convenience; it was essential. 

 “To have a place to train and be able to tell recruits and current players like, hey, we’re going to get better whether it’s rain or shine,” Borendame said. 

Alongside the indoor facility, MTSU tennis also boasts a top-of-the-line outdoor complex that opened in 2024.  

The team previously played at the Buck Bouldin Tennis Center , where 14 courts sat at the corner of Middle Tennessee Boulevard and Greenland Drive on the campus of the university. 

That changed in 2016 when Middle Tennessee Boulevard was widened, reducing the number of courts. 

“They came and chopped off three of my courts,” Borendame said. “It was originally 14 and it got chopped down to 11. And then there was really no plan to renovate the outdoor tennis complex.” 

Borendame  spearheaded a movement to build new courts on the same site as the original Buck Bouldin Courts.  Throughout Borendame’s relentless campaigning, the project continuously grew until itseventual completion. 

“COVID happened and the $3 million project went from $3 million to $5 million and then $5 million to $7 million and $7 million to $8.8 million,” Borendame said. 

The eight-million-dollar outdoor tennis complex now serves as the campus home of MTSU’s men’s and women’s tennis programs.  The facility includes new locker rooms and spectator facilities for 250 Blue Raider fans along with eight state-of-the-art tennis courts. 

Drawing on lessons from his father, who worked in large-scale construction, Borendame approached facility development with flexibility in mind.  

“I learned all this from my father who built big, massive buildings,” Borendame said.  “He’s like, anytime you build something, you want to be able to add onto it or take things.”  

The outdoor complex is intentionally designed to accommodate future enhancements. Infrastructure is already in place for a second large digital scoreboard on the north side of the courts as a part of a broader vision to modernize the facility to compete with those on a national level. 

“I think they’re on par with a lot of the programs across the country,” assistant coach John Kries said. “I don’t think MTSU takes a back seat to anyone.” 

As the facilities improved, so did the program’s results. 

Under Borendame the Blue Raiders have been the team to beat in Conference USA play through recent years, claiming seven straight conference championships. The latest came in a 4-2 victory over the Liberty Flames, continuing a streak that has defined the program’s rise. 

Borendame began the 2026 season with eight new players, four transfers, and four freshmen yet still led the team to another conference title despite the roster turnover. 

“This group is special,” Kries said. “We only had two guys returning. A lot of new pieces to fit in. And they really bought in to what Coach Jimmy’s telling them.” 

Following the championship run coach Borendame was named Conference USA Coach of the Year for the third consecutive season, bringing his total to seven.  

Yet Borendame’s ambitions extend further than conference success. His focus remains on national competitiveness. 

“The goal is down the road is to try to host NCAA regionals,” Borendame said. “But that also comes with a ranking that you got to get to. So we’re working on that.” 

While multi-million-dollar facility upgrades have supported those aspirations, Borendame’s impact is most evident in the program’s growth on the court and the culture he has built. 

“Before I got here, Jimmy told me that he’s going to make me a better player, but also a better person,” senior Ondrej Horak said. “And I think that’s what happened.” 

Horak, a four-time Conference USA champion, credited Borendame as a key figure in his success.  In 2026, he added another accolade, earning Conference USA Player of the Year honors. 

Borendame’s impact on players like Ordej shows in the hardware they achieve on and off the court. During his tenure as the head coach of the Blue Raiders, Borendame has coached seven Conference USA Players of the Year winners, along with five Conference USA Freshman of the Year recipients. 

Ultimately, Borendame’s legacy at MTSU is defined not by a single accomplishment, but by the steady climb of the program under his leadership.  

From upgraded facilities to championship consistency, he has positioned the Blue Raiders as a program capable of competing beyond the conference level. 

“The guy just puts everything into it,” Kries said.  “He gives his all to the program, and it’s obvious to his players that that’s what’s happening, and they appreciate it. He pushes them, and they don’t always like it, but they appreciate it.”