Men's Tennis
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- bpate@princeton.edu
- Alma Mater:
- Mississippi State '92
Now heading into the 30th season of his college coaching career, Billy Pate just completed his 12th season as the head coach of the Princeton men's tennis team in 2023-24. He is regarded as one of the most respected and influential leaders in college tennis, underscored by his long history of instilling character-based values to his players.
Through his first 12 seasons, Pate guided the Tigers to 184 dual-match victories and matched Princeton against 111 ITA-ranked opponents. During Pate's tenure, Princeton has been ranked as high as No. 18 in March 2020, the program's highest ranking on record since February and March 2015 when it was ranked No. 23.
2023-24 saw the Tigers use a youthful core to return to the NCAA Tournament, rise as high as No. 21 in the ITA team rankings and compile a 22-8 overall record along with a 5-2 record in conference play. Pate helped guide Princeton to wins over ranked opponents such as No. 19 Alabama, No. 21 Michigan State, No. 28 Cornell, No. 47 ODU, No. 58 Penn and No. 72 Yale while also win both the Blue Gray Classic and ECAC Championships. Paul Inchauspe, the 2024 Ivy Rookie of the Year and a unanimous First Team All-Ivy selection, was ranked No. 27 in singles and selected to compete at the NCAA Tournament in the singles competition. Inchauspe was also tabbed as high as No. 16 in doubles with Filippos Astreinidis, as the duo became the third doubles team in the past four seasons to advance to the Round fo 16 at the NCAA Tournament at Princeton under Pate.
The 2022-23 season saw the Tigers rise as high as No. 49 in the ITA team rankings, and earn wins over power five opponents Ole Miss, Vanderbilt and Indiana. In addition, Fnu Nidunjianzan was named First Team All-Ivy League in his first season of college tennis and played at the ITA All-American Championships.
Princeton, who ended the season No. 40 in the ITA rankings, returned to the NCAA Championships in 2022, taking on Arizona in the Round of 64. Pate also guided Ryan Seggerman and Justin Barki to the Round of 16 at the NCAA Doubles Championships, and the duo would the end season ranked No. 30 by the ITA in the doubles rankings, while Seggerman was tabbed at No. 60 in the singles rankings. The Tigers also defeated six power five opponents in 2022 under Pate's guidance; No. 66 Nebraska, No. 75 Michigan State, Arizona State, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Penn State. Off the court, Princeton was honored as an ITA All-Academic Team, and had four players named ITA Scholar-Athletes.
The Tigers had a stellar 2020 campaign; along with their No. 18 ranking, Ryan Seggerman and Payton Holden rose to No. 6 in the doubles rankings while Justin Barki and Thomas Bosancic were tabbed at No. 43. In singles, Karl Poling was ranked No. 113 and Ryan Seggerman No. 124. When the 2020 spring season was halted due to the global pandemic, the Tigers were considered a virtual lock for an NCAA Tournament berth and were expected to be in the thick of the Ivy League race. An unprecedented five Ivy men's teams were in the top-25 in 2020.
The 2015 season saw Princeton return to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1998, gaining an at-large berth, and the team's 19 victories were the third-most in a season in program history. Four seasons later, in 2019, Princeton tied the program record for wins in a season with 20, alongside the 1995 team.
Princeton players have earned 24 All-Ivy League selections in Pate's seven seasons. In Pate's first year, Matija Pecotic '13 reached a ranking of No. 2 on the ITA national singles list while becoming the first three-time Ivy League Player of the Year in league history, as well as Princeton's first All-America honoree since 1984. That year, Pecotic advanced to the second round of the NCAA singles tournament, becoming the first Tiger to win an NCAA singles tournament match since 1996.
Pate's tenure has also seen Princeton qualify three teams to the NCAA doubles championship, in 2017, 2019, and 2022 with Payton Holden and Ryan Seggerman defeating the nation's No. 4-ranked team in the first round to become the first Princeton pair since 2001 to win an NCAA doubles tournament match.
Prior to Princeton, Pate spent 10 seasons as the head coach at the University of Alabama, where he guided the Crimson Tide to seven NCAA tournament appearances.
Pate arrived at Alabama for the 2002-03 season and led the team to the NCAA round of 16 that spring. The Crimson Tide reached the NCAA tournament six more times and the round of 16 two more times under Pate's tenure.
Pate's Alabama teams were routinely part of the ITA national rankings, achieving a regular-season ranking of No. 9 in 2007. That season, Pate was named the ITA's South Region Coach of the Year and the SEC Co-Coach of the Year.
In addition to recruiting domestically, Pate put together a long list of international recruits from 15 countries across four continents during his time at Alabama.
Prior to Alabama, Pate was an assistant coach at Notre Dame for two seasons, helping the Irish to NCAA tournament appearances in both seasons, yielding three NCAA tournament wins while earning the ITA's National Assistant Coach of the Year Award in 2002. The Irish achieved a national ranking of No. 4 during the regular season.
Pate spent five seasons, from 1995-2000, as the head coach at Georgia Perimeter College, winning NJCAA national championships in his final three seasons while being named the National Junior College Coach of the Year all three times as well as the 1999 USPTA National College Coach of the Year.
In addition to earning numerous coaching and playing awards, Pate has been intricately involved with the administrative side of tennis while serving on a variety of committees and boards. Pate served as Co-Chair of the ITA Operating Committee, the ITA Executive/Budget Committee and is now in his second stint on the ITA Board of Directors - having served from 2009-2015 - and once again starting in 2019 to present. Pate also served on the USTA Collegiate Varsity Committee from 2010-2012.
Two of Pate’s former players, Pecotic (Princeton ’13) and Saketh Myneni (Alabama ’10) have gone on to great success on the ATP tour. Pecotic reached his career high singles ranking in 2015 at 206 and Myneni achieved a ranking of 113 in doubles and 137 in singles in 2016. In addition, Pecotic made his ATP Tour debut at the Delray Beach Open in February 2023 and defefated for top-10 player Jack Sock.
A native of Hot Springs, Ark., Pate played collegiately at Mississippi State University where the Bulldogs advanced to the SEC final in 1991 and a round of 16 appearance in the NCAA Championships.
After graduating from Mississippi State University in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in communications, Pate worked with the Atlanta Thunder of World Team Tennis, earning his master's degree in sports administration in 1995 from Georgia State University. At Georgia State, Pate served as president of the as the Graduate Assistant to the Director of Athletics before starting his coaching career at Georgia Perimeter in 1995. In 1998, Pate added to his responsibilities by accepting the Head Pro position at the Concourse Athletic Club and serving at Vice President of the Georgia Professional Tennis Association. As a member of the USPTA at the time, Pate helped certify professionals as a tester. While staying active as a competitive doubles player, Pate competed in Atlanta’s ATP Tour event in 2000.
Billy Pate as Head Coach, Year-by-Year
| Year | School | Overall | Postseason |
| 2003 | Alabama | 19-10 | NCAA Round of 16 |
| 2004 | Alabama | 10-15 | NCAA 1st Round |
| 2005 | Alabama | 10-15 | |
| 2006 | Alabama | 14-13 | NCAA 1st Round |
| 2007 | Alabama | 22-8 | NCAA Round of 16 |
| 2008 | Alabama | 19-10 | NCAA 1st Round |
| 2009 | Alabama | 21-8 | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 2010 | Alabama | 13-14 | NCAA 1st Round |
| 2011 | Alabama | 10-12 | |
| 2012 | Alabama | 10-15 | |
| Total at Alabama | 148-120 | Seven NCAA Appearances | |
| 2013 | Princeton | 16-6 | |
| 2014 | Princeton | 13-11 | |
| 2015 | Princeton | 19-8 | NCAA 1st Round |
| 2016 | Princeton | 14-11 | |
| 2017 | Princeton | 14-12 | |
| 2018 | Princeton | 18-11 | |
| 2019 | Princeton | 20-9 | |
| 2020 | Princeton | 14-4 | |
| 2021 | Princeton | N/A | |
| 2022 | Princeton | 18-9 | NCAA 1st Round |
| 2023 | Princeton | 16-13 | |
| 2024 | Princeton | 22-8 | NCAA 1st Round |
| Total at Princeton | 184-102 | ||
| Career Totals | 332-222 |
*2020 season shortened due to COVID-19 Pandemic
*2021 season canceled due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Education
Mississippi State University, Bachelor of Communications, 1992
Georgia State University, Master of Sports Administration, 1995
Playing Experience
Mississippi State University, 1987-91
Awards
USTPA National Coach of the Year 1999
ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year, 2002
NJCAA National Junior College Coach of the Year, 1998, 1999, 2000
SEC Co-Head Coach of the Year 2007
USTA/ITA Community Service Award 2007
Coaching Experience
Princeton University, Head Coach (2012-present)
University of Alabama, Head Coach (2002-12)
University of Notre Dame, Assistant Coach (2000-02)
Georgia Perimeter College, Head Coach (1995-2000)
