ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Former player and current assistant coach Ben Dunbar has been named as the new head coach of the University of New Mexico men’s tennis program by Vice President for Athletics Paul Krebs.
Dunbar spent the previous two season as an assistant coach at UNM under former head coach Bart Scott and played for the Lobos from 2008-12. He is the 18th coach in program history, and the fifth to both play and coach for the program.
“I’m incredibly honored and humbled at the opportunity to lead the UNM Men’s Tennis program. I want to thank Paul Krebs and Ed Manzanares, the search committee of Alan Dils and Ciara Martinez and the University of New Mexico for giving me the opportunity to lead a program with such a great history,” said Dunbar. “There are many great coaches and players that have coached and competed for UNM over the years, and I am excited to coach the next generation of UNM greats. I can’t wait to hit the ground running this season, we have an exciting group of student athletes returning and we hope to make lobo fans proud this year and for many years to come.”
He added, “Lastly I want to thank outgoing coach Bart Scott, for the faith he placed in me, his mentorship, and I want to wish him and his family the very best in their new endeavors.”
As assistant coach under Scott, Dunbar handled on-the-court coaching, instructional work, team academics and scheduling for the Lobos. In his first season as an assistant coach in 2014-15, the Lobos made the NCAA Championship for the first time since 2009. Subsequently, Dunbar was honored by the ITA as the Mountain Region Assistant Coach of the Year, joining Scott as Lobo assistants to have earned the honor.
Dunbar has also helped coach the doubles team of Hayden Sabatka and Bart Van Leijsen to the ITA All-American Championships, the USTA/ITA National Indoors and the NCAA Championships in 2016.
Additionally, Dunbar played tennis at UNM, posting a standout career with the Lobos from 2008-12.
Over his four-year career, he registered a 55-49 record in singles play and a 73-34 record in doubles play. In his senior year, he finished 20-15 in singles and 27-9 in doubles play, the sixth-highest single-season total in program history. He eventually earned a national doubles ranking of No. 30 from the ITA.
He was a five-time All-Mountain West honoree overall, earning the accolade three times in singles and twice in doubles.
Academically, Dunbar was named Mountain West All-Academic every year he was eligible and Mountain West Scholar-Athlete honors once (2012). He also claimed ITA Scholar Athlete honors over his junior and senior seasons, during which he tallied a perfect 4.0 GPA.
He also served as volunteer coach with the Lobos from 2012-14 while working toward his master’s degree at New Mexico.
Originally from Nottingham, England, Dunbar graduated from Castle College in 2008 before earning his bachelor’s degree in psychology from UNM in 2012.
Dunbar’s appointment is predicated upon H.R. approval.
NOTES: Former UNM men’s tennis coaches who also played for the Lobos include David Gaetz (1983-88), Tim Cass (1989-96), Alan Dils (1997-2014) and Scott (2014-16) … In other words, every head coach for UNM men’s tennis since 1983 has also played for the program.
Lobo Alum Dunbar Named Head Men’s Tennis Coach
