Bennie Purcell Tennis Courts to Receive Long-Overdue Enhancements

For the first time since 2005, the Bennie Purcell Tennis Courts are receiving long-overdue enhancements to the playing surface and other areas within the facility to provide a championship-level experience for the back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference champion Murray State women's tennis program and the local community.

The improvements to the home of Racer tennis, which serves as a community engagement hub in the Murray-Calloway County area, is being funded through private support and through the support of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and USTA Kentucky.

"We are incredibly proud of everything that the tennis team has accomplished over the last two seasons, and this project will continue to elevate the championship pedigree of the program," Director of Athletics Nico Yantko said. "It has been 20 years since this facility received its last court resurfacing, and we know the importance it has as a key asset to our community. We are extremely grateful for each of the investors who stepped up to make this project possible, and we are looking forward to its competition over the coming months."

The focal-point of the project is the total resurfacing of each court, providing newly-sealed and repaired playing surfaces that will allow for a safe, appealing, and functional tennis environment for the Racers. In addition, the facility will receive new benches and updates to the branding throughout.

With a target start date in the month of August, the project is set to be completed in a few weeks following initiation. Information on when the courts will be playable will be available on GoRacers.com.

"I want to give a sincere thank you to the Murray State Athletics administration, our entire tennis community, and the USTA for the incredible support and dedication in bringing the Bennie Purcell Tennis Courts resurfacing project to life," head coach Jorge Caetano said. "This commitment ensures that our players, fans, and future Racers can continue to enjoy the game on a surface worthy of Bennie's legacy as we strive to take the Murray State tennis program to new heights. I am deeply grateful for being part of such a great community and our team is beyond excited to compete on newly resurfaced courts next year."

Murray State tennis has received an influx of new resources since the start of the 2022 athletics year, with Cost of Attendance and Alston academic incentive money helping build championship rosters. Coach Caetano has also received multiple extensions following his stellar performances leading the team to back-to-back league titles.

In an effort to continue these exciting investments into the program, supporters will have the ability to participate in naming right opportunities, including the naming of individual courts and benches in the facility.

To support this exciting new project, or to find out more information on the naming rights opportunities, please contact the Racer Club at (270) 809-3517 or fill out the project interest form by CLICKING HERE.

The Racer Club plays a crucial role in helping support student-athlete scholarships, general operating budget, and facility enhancements. Investors play a critical role in funding the student-athlete experience and the competitive success of Murray State Athletics programs and student-athletes.

Follow the Racers on X (@MSURacers), Instagram (@RacersAthletics) and Facebook to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Murray State Athletics.

Murray State University

Bennie Purcell Tennis Courts to Receive Long-Overdue Enhancements

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