Sept. 10, 2008

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - U of M men's tennis head coach Paul Goebel earned the distinction of being named to his alma-mater's Hall of Fame last weekend. The 1994 graduate from Middle Tennessee State University, was honored alongside four other former Blue Raiders, as they were inducted as part of Middle Tennessee's largest Hall of Fame class ever.

"It was a really humbling honor to be the second tennis player to be inducted into Middle Tennessee's Hall of Fame," Goebel said. "I feel as though I had a small part in helping MTSU get their program to the point where they are competing on the national stage. I look to draw from what they have done as I try to do bring the University of Memphis' tennis program on to the national level.

Goebel follows his former head coach for the Blue Raiders, Dale Short, as the second Blue Raider's tennis player to be named to the Hall of Fame. Goebel teamed with Fred Niemeyer, to become MTSU's first ever All-Americans. The doubles team was ranked as high as No. 5 nationally during the 1993-94 season. They would finish the year as the No. 15 ranked doubles team in the country. One of the highs of the year for Goebel and Niemeyer came when they defeated the No. 1 ranked doubles partnership at the O'Charley's tournament in Knoxville, Tenn.

During his time as a Blue Raider, Goebel was a four-time all-conference honoree. The native of Hendersonville, N.C., was named Middle Tennessee's Student-Athlete of the Year in 1994. During his last two collegiate seasons, he also served the duty of team captain for the Blue Raiders.

After his eligibility ran out at MTSU, Goebel joined Short's staff as a student assistant for the 1994-95 season. He has since continued his coaching career at the University of Memphis where he has been the head coach for the Tigers since 2004.