Bart Scott enters his second season as the head coach of his alma mater in 2015-16, and he brings with his tremendous knowledge and passion not just for tennis, but for Lobo athletics.
In his first year as the head coach, which was officially under the interim tag, all Scott helped do is lead New Mexico to its first regular season conference title since the 2008 season, and he helped UNM get an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009. For all of that, he was honored by his peers around the league as the Mountain West Coach of the Year, the sixth time that a UNM head coach earned that honor in the Mountain West.
Under his tutelage, the 2014-15 Lobos went 20-11, the ninth 20-win season in school history on the way to UNM’s 12th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Lobos were also honored for the team success with Bart van Leijsen earning Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors and assistant coach Ben Dunbar being named the Mountain Region Assistant Coach of the Year.
Becoming the head coach for the Lobos seemed like a foregone conclusion for Scott, who spent the previous six seasons as first Assistant Coach (2008-12) and then as Associate Head Coach (2012-14). While serving as the Associate Head Coach, the Lobos advanced to the Mountain West Tournament championship match both seasons. In 2013-14, the Lobos went 20-8 as five players won 20 or more matches in singles. UNM also picked up four wins over teams that eventually made it to the NCAA Tournament. In his four seasons as Assistant Coach, he helped coach UNM to as high as a No. 45 national ranking and the 2009 Mountain West Tournament title and a trip to the NCAAs. His final seasons as an assistant coach before his promotion saw UNM make the Mountain West title match for the what would be the first of three straight seasons. That season culminated with Scott being named the 2012 ITA Mountain Region Assistant Coach of the Year.
While Scott has been on the coaching staff since 2008, he was a superb Lobo on the court from 1999-03. During his collegiate career, he was part of three championship teams, including UNM’s first-ever Mountain West Conference championship (in any sport) in 2000. As a freshman in that 2000 championship match, he recorded the clinching championship point against San Diego State. He ended his career with a Mountain West title as well in 2003.
He garnered all-conference honors from 2001-03 and he finished his career with the Lobos ranked fourth in singles with a 90-42 record and second all time with a .682 winning percentage. As a senior in the fall of 2002, Scott was one of 32 collegiate players to qualify for the National Indoor Championships, and he won the Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship Award that same year. In 2001 he was named the Colorado Collegiate Player of the Year and has twice been named the Colorado Tennis Association Player of the Year.
After leaving UNM, spent a season as a graduate assistant coach, where he helped coach UNM to the 2004 Mountain West title. Scott then played professionally and was a two-time singles champion (2005 & 2006) at the Denver City Open and the Boulder Open (2005 & 2006). He earned his first ATP world ranking in February of 2004, competing in only his second professional tennis tournament winning four straight matches in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
After his career, Scott spent two seasons from 2006-2008 as the associate head coach for the University of Oregon men’s tennis program under Nils Schyllander.
A native of Colorado Springs, Colo., and a graduate of Mitchell High School, Scott married the former Kaley Morris of Colorado Springs, in 2006. They have two daughters. Scott graduated from UNM in 2003 with a B.A. in English.