Men's Tennis
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
- Email:
- rbenson5@liberty.edu
Rich Benson has been the Liberty Associate Men’s Tennis Coach since June of 2015. Benson previously served as assistant coach for the Flames for two years, helping Liberty to back-to-back winning seasons, including a program record 14 wins in 2015.
Benson came to Liberty after spending a year and a half on staff with Athletes in Action (AIA), working with their tennis ministry. Prior to his AIA experience, Benson was the volunteer assistant for the 25th-ranked University of Louisville Men's Tennis Team.
In his first season with the Flames, Benson helped guide Liberty to a 12-10 overall record and a program best third place regular season finish in the Big South Conference. Additionally, the Liberty doubles team of Shea Thomas and Jorge Azuero captured the program's first ever ITA Atlantic Region title in doubles play and climbed to as high as No. 19 nationally during the 2014 spring season. In his second season with the Flames, Benson helped the team to a 14-10 record, including a program best 6 conference wins and second place regular season finish.
In his third season with the Flames during the 2015-16 school year, Benson helped the team to an 11-11 record, including a 4-4 mark in Big South Play. Sam Matheson was named the Big South Player of the Year as a junior, while he and Eddie Gutierrez were both Big South All-Conference singles players. In addition, Matheson and senior Egon Samaai were named to the Big South All-Conference doubles team. Prior to his senior season, Matheson announced that he was turning professional and has since begun his career in Vietnam.
During his collegiate playing career at the University of Kentucky, Benson was ranked nationally as high as No. 8 in singles and No. 3 in doubles. Benson was a three-time All-American in doubles (1987, 1988, & 1989). Benson was a NCAA Championships doubles semifinalist with then partner Greg Vanemburgh in 1987. Also in 1987, Benson and Vanemburgh were doubles finalists in the NCAA All-American Tournament. In 1988, Benson was a NCAA Clay Court Championships singles semi-finalist. Benson was the SEC champion at No. 1 doubles and No. 3 singles in 1988. Benson was also a member of the United States Collegiate Team that competed in the 1988 World University Games held in Zagreb, Croatia.
On the ATP Pro Circuit Benson reached a world ranking of No. 525 in singles and No. 132 in doubles. Benson won the ATP Wolfsburg Challenger doubles event in 1994 with then partner Adam Malik. Benson traveled extensively throughout the world during his four-year pro career playing against many tennis greats such as Patrick Rafter, Cedric Pioline, Greg Rusedski, Michael Pernfors, and Mark Rosset.
Benson is a member of the Kentucky State Tennis Hall of Fame, as well as a member of the University of Kentucky Tennis Hall of Fame.
Rich and his wife Paula have four children, Allison, Timothy, Daniel, and Samuel.
