Bill Richards Announces Retirement after 53 Seasons at the helm of the Ball State Men’s Tennis Team
June 25, 2025 | Men's Tennis
MUNCIE, Ind. – After more than five decades of shaping one of the most respected programs in collegiate tennis, Ball State University head men's tennis coach Bill Richards has announced he will retire June 30, 2025. Richards' remarkable 53-year career has left an enduring mark on Ball State Athletics, the Mid-American Conference (MAC) and college tennis.
Richards, the winningest coach in Ball State and MAC men's tennis history, took over the reins for the Cardinals in 1972. Since then, he has amassed an extraordinary 769-482 (.614) overall record and a 243-88 (.734) league ledger. Under his leadership, the Cardinals captured 38 MAC regular season and/or tournament titles, made eight NCAA Tournament appearances and had 17 undefeated regular seasons.
"Ball State University has been immeasurably enriched by the talents of Bill Richards for more than five decades," Ball State Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell said. "His remarkable career exemplifies the model of excellence for which Ball State is known, and his leadership has made a positive impact on generations of student-athletes. I am grateful to Coach Richards for his devotion to our men's tennis program and his commitment to making Ball State athletics a valuable asset in our community."
A 15-time MAC Coach of the Year, Richards has coached numerous players to national acclaim. Standouts include Matt Baccarani and Patrick Thompson, ranked as high as No. 4 in NCAA doubles during the 2005–06 season, and John Amos, who won a first-round singles match at the 1994 NCAA Championships. In 1991, Dan Kronauge and Paul Krusecaptured the Volvo Collegiate Fall Championship and earned the No. 1 doubles ranking in the nation. In 1987 the doubles teams of Todd Hershey and Eric Nixon along with Gene Orlando and Marty Reist met in the finals if the Mid-west regional championship and were the only two teams from the Midwest NCAA Region to be selected to play in the NCAA tournament.
For his outstanding achievements on and off the court, Richards was inducted into the Ball State Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993 and received the Benny Award, the highest honor for services from the Ball State Alumni Association, in 2006.
Richards also became the only coach in Ball State history to receive the President's Medal of Distinction, at the 2012 spring commencement ceremony. In addition, Richards received the 2014-15 NCAA Bob Frederick Sportsmanship Award and was recognized by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) with the 2018 ITA Meritorious Service Award.
Along with his work at Ball State, Richards served on the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Board of Directors and worked with the U.S. National Team, accompanying top junior players to major international tournaments including Wimbledon, the French Open and the U.S. Open.
A native of Sturgis, Michigan, Richards earned his bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University and a master's degree from Bowling Green State University. He played collegiate tennis at Western Michigan, where he was a MAC champion in both singles and doubles.
Richards started his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Bowling Green. He then served as the head tennis coach at Portage Central High School for one season before his appointment at Ball State.
Richards and his wife, Sue, have two children, Rob (wife Wendy) and Kristi, and two grandchildren, Leah and Ryan.
Ball State will announce Richards' successor at a later date following his official retirement.