Oliver Reynolds

Samford University has hired former Bulldog student-athlete Oliver Reynolds as its new head men's tennis coach, Director of Athletics Martin Newton announced Wednesday.

"We are excited to welcome Oliver Reynolds back to Samford as our new head men's tennis coach," Newton said. "The experience he gained in coaching over the last 10 years will benefit our program and our student-athletes greatly. We are always happy to welcome back one of our former student-athletes, and Oliver's love and appreciation for Samford are evident and will be an asset as he builds his teams and program in the years to come."

Reynolds comes to Samford after serving as the head men's and women's tennis coach at Washington College in Maryland. During his time at Washington, he led the women's team to a record of 32-18, and the men's team to a mark of 21-28. In addition to coaching both the men's and women's tennis teams, Reynolds directed the Kent County Tennis League.

"I owe a huge thank you to Martin Newton, Hal Langston, and the committee for giving me an opportunity to be back at Samford as a part of the men's tennis program," Reynolds said. "Joining this program as the head coach feels like coming home. Rahim did a great job building a strong team with a good culture, and I look forward to picking up where he left off. My goal as the head coach is to continue to develop successful young men and student-athletes on and off the court, as well as compete for the SoCon championship on a yearly basis. I am honored to, yet again, be a Bulldog. Go dogs!"

Reynolds came to Washington College from the College of Charleston, where he was a member of the staff from 2015 to 2017. He spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons as an assistant coach for the men's and women's teams, and he was promoted to associate head coach of both programs for the 2017 campaign.

Reynolds got his first collegiate coaching experience when he was on the men's tennis staff at The Citadel from 2012 to 2013. In February of 2013, he was named the interim head coach of The Citadel, leading the program for the remainder of the 2013 season. In addition to his collegiate coaching experience, he served as a junior tennis coach at Family Circle from August 2013 to January 2014, where he developed and executed well-rounded training sessions for youth ranging from 10 to 18 years old.

From 2007 to 2011, Reynolds was a member of the Samford men's tennis team. As a senior, he served as the captain of the Bulldogs' Southern Conference Tournament champions that earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament. In his freshman season in the spring of 2008, Reynolds was a starter in both singles and doubles play for the team that won the Ohio Valley Conference title.

Reynolds is a 2011 Samford University graduate. He earned his degree in Business Administration—Finance.