Dickson, who owns more than 20 years experience as a Division I head tennis coach, is entering his second season at Austin Peay, directing both the men and women’s programs.
Dickson received his bachelor’s degree in education/social studies from Toledo in 1974. While at Toledo, Dickson earned four letters in varsity tennis and was named co-captain his senior season. He was a key member of Rocket teams that won the Mid-American Conference championship three times from 1971-73.
He began his coaching career in 1974 as the manager and head pro at the Bellefontaine Racquet Club in his hometown of Bellefontaine, Ohio. In December 1975, Dickson accepted an instructor’s position at the renowned Harry Hopman International Tennis Camp in St. Petersburg, Fla.
From there, Dickson entered the Division I coaching fraternity as an assistant coach at Clemson. After helping lead the men and women’s teams to first-place finishes at the 1983 Atlantic Coast Conference championships, Dickson accepted his first head coaching opportunity at Purdue.
Dickson produced seven first-team All-Big 10 selections in 11 seasons at Purdue. His 1984 men’s team had the best record (22-7) in Purdue history and his 1986 team placed fourth in the Big Ten, the Boilermakers’ best finish since 1956. His women’s program produced a Big 10 Player of the Year plus another four-time All-Big 10 Selection.
Dickson then moved on to West Virginia where he led the Mountaineers to two top-four Big East finishes. In 2002, the young Mountaineers, with a lineup that boasted three freshman, won six of their last eight matches for a Big East tourney berth after a 2-7 start. Dickson served eight seasons as head men’s tennis coach before the program was terminated after the 2003 season. He stayed at the school through 2004 as the academic coordinator for men’s basketball.
Dickson joined the Governors in 2005 after they lost their top three singles players to transfers following a last-place Ohio Valley Conference tournament finish in 2004. He immediately began picking up the pieces. He brought in sophomore Ankur Singla and recruited freshman Patrick Puertolas. Those two combined with junior standout Andrew Naidu and seniors Jonathan Brown and Wes Pancho to earn the Govs a seventh-place finish in 2005, including an O’Reilly/OVC Tournament win over rival Murray State.
The Lady Govs were a much greater challenge for Dickson in 2005. After a slow start at the Samford Invitational, they managed to pick up their first win at Lipscomb. The Lady Govs ended up playing without their No. 1 singles player, Elizabeth Whelpley, in their last four matches, finishing with a disappointing 2-14 record ? their only conference win coming against Tennessee State.
The Govs and Lady Govs again failed to qualify for the conference tournament in 2006. Newcomers Lucas DeBrito and Patrick Puertolas highlighted the men’s side. DeBrito played consistently in the top of the lineup, going 5-3 at No. 3 singles, while Puertolas went 11-6 at No. 4 singles. The two teamed up to go 9-7 at No. 2 doubles.
On the women’s side, the Lady Govs played with four seniors, a junior and sophomore walk-on. Virginia Penner, whom Dickson recruited from the Lady Govs soccer team, won six matches at No. 6 singles. Alana Carere and Penner went 7-5 overall at No. 3 doubles.
