N.I.L. changes college athletics but not for MTSU Men's Tennis

Written by Jacob Burgess

College athletics is a new game when it comes to Name, Image and Likeness allowing players to earn money affecting schools from top to bottom.

At Middle Tennessee State University, the Blue Raider Athletic Association and the Raiders

Rising Collective work together to provide athletes the opportunity to sign NIL deals.

“Every scholarship student athlete is getting a portion of Alston money but there are some

that are getting the full amount, that $5980 which is less than 20 [athletes],” said deputy

athletic director Lee De Leon.

For the men’s tennis program, one built of all international students, not much has

changed though, as NIL deals for international students are difficult to get together.

MTSU’s international student athletes can sign NIL deals but all the work must be done in

the athletes' home country, with that number being in the single digits, Leon said.

Head coach Jimmy Borendame has spent the last 14 years building the Blue Raider

tennis program into a Conference USA powerhouse.

This process has included building the Adams Tennis Complex, the indoor complex built by

MTSU and Murfreesboro, and the MTSU Tennis Complex, the universities on campus

outdoor facility.

“Money is always a part of it but here we are really fortunate with the six million dollars

Adams Tennis Complex, 8.8-million-dollar outdoor complex we are in,” Borendame said.

The focus has been to recruit good people who want to be here and are focused on

improving their game. It took eight years for MTSU to win its first CUSA title after taking over

the program, Borendame said.

Borendame’s recruiting methods have started to pay off as Blue Raiders have won five

conference championships in a row.

NIL though could make an appearance within the program though as two American

athletes have signed with the Blue Raiders for the 2025-2026 season.

“At the end of the day when you become a really good tennis player, that Name, Image and

Likeness will come as well,” Borendame said.