Coach Bev Buckley Announces Retirement Following 2024 Season

WINTER PARK, Fla. - Rollins women's tennis head coach Beverly Buckley has announced that the current spring season, the 38th of her career, will be her last at the helm of the Tars' program, bringing an end to an illustrious coaching career that spanned nearly four decades.

Before her coaching career began, Buckley was a standout player for the Tars from 1972-75. She won two Florida State Collegiate Doubles titles and a singles title as well. She was selected to the U.S. Junior Wightman Cup team in 1973, and was named an Outstanding College Athlete of America in 1974 and 1975. Her talent took her to the women's professional tour where she competed for five years, including matches at major events such as Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the French Open. After her playing days ended, she took over as head coach of Rollins tennis in 1986, following in the footsteps of her old coach and mentor, Ginny Mack. 

"I met Miss Mack in 1971, my freshman year at Rollins," remarked Buckley. "Four years later after a successful collegiate career, I told her that my dream was to return to my alma mater as the head coach. She promised to call me when she retired, and she fulfilled her promise. In the spring of 1986, the call came. Thirty-eight years later I'm now wrapping up my coaching career. I am proud to say that Miss Mack is one of my dearest lifelong friends."

Since taking over the program in 1986, Buckley has built one of the most impressive resumes in collegiate tennis. Her accomplishments include more than 530 wins, 20 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances from 1994-2014, two Top 4 team finishes at the NCAA Championships, two NCAA Singles Champions (Stacy Moss, 1994 and Angie Zguna, 2001), and 22 All-Americans. She currently ranks 7th all-time in coaching victories at the D-II level. 

Her teams also found success in the classroom, selected as an ITA All-Academic Team every year since the inception of the award in 2013. In that time, women's tennis produced more than 60 individual ITA Scholar Athletes. In addition, the 2004 squad received the award for highest Team GPA at the D-II National Championship Festival. 

"I would like to thank Coach Buckley for her many years of service to Rollins Athletics," stated Associate Vice President of Athletics Pennie Parker. "Aside from her many accomplishments on the court, it's her exemplary leadership and loyalty to Rollins that have been the foundations for success for our women's tennis team over the decades."

In December 2020, Buckley was honored with the ITA Meritorious Service Award. This prestigious recognition is bestowed annually in recognition of an ITA coach who has gone above and beyond in their commitment and contributions to the ITA and college tennis in general. 

The career achievements of Coach Buckley were no simple feat. Playing in the Sunshine State Conference provided some of the stiffest competition in all of Division II. Buckley stated, "The dominance in the Sunshine State Conference is unprecedented. Teams from the SSC have won seven of the last ten national championships, and I don't think that will be slowing down anytime soon!"

After more than four decades on campus as a student, player, and coach, it's safe to say that Rollins, and the people on campus, hold a special place in her heart. 

"My coaching career has extended over four decades, so it's impossible to name all of the people who have impacted my career here. But it's safe to say that a few individuals stand out: Don Usher, who was my coach when I played professionally, and then was a volunteer coach for seven years here at Rollins; on a day- to-day basis, our Associate Vice President of Athletics, Pennie Parker, has consistently been supportive of me and the program; and last, but not least, my current associate head coach, Tasi Batista, who is always there for me through thick & thin!"

When asked about the future of Rollins women's tennis, Coach Buckley had this to say:

"The future for Tars Women's Tennis has never been brighter! With the building of a new tennis complex on campus, and Tasi taking over as head coach, the sky's the limit. Tasi will be the third Head Coach since 1962, following in the footsteps of Ginny Mack (1962-1986) and myself (1986-2024). As a former player for me, Tasi was a three-time All-American and was inducted into the Rollins Sports Hall of Fame in 2017. Her tennis knowledge and love for Rollins are unmatched. I can't wait to watch as Tasi takes this legendary program to the next level!"

Buckley's career accolades include induction into the Iowa Tennis Hall of Fame (1991), Rollins Athletics Hall of Fame (1993), Missouri Valley USTA Section Hall of Fame (1994), Roosevelt High School (IA) Alumni Hall of Fame (2010), and Roosevelt High School (IA) Sports Hall of Fame.