Hall of Fame
Paolo Pezzoli, a native of Torino, Italy, led Southern Arkansas men’s tennis to unprecedented success in the late 1980’s. During his four-year career from 1985-1989, the Muleriders went 72-34 and had a stellar 22-3 mark in Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference (AIC) play, claiming the conference championships in 1988 and 1989.
Both of those seasons, Pezzoli received All-America honors, and he was a four-time National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-District 17 and All-AIC pick from 1986-1989, ranking among the top players in the nation in both singles and doubles.
Following a successful freshman season in 1986, Pezzoli led SAU to a final ranking of 24th in the nation in 1987, and was ranked first in the country in doubles at one point with teammate Doug Hague, before finishing the season at 13th.
In 1988 during his junior season, Southern Arkansas finished the season ranked 13th, and Pezzoli went undefeated in conference play and was ranked as high as 28th nationally in singles and 18th in doubles. At the NAIA national championships in Kansas City, Pezzoli won his first three singles matches before losing to the nation’s second-seeded player en route to Honorable Mention All-America honors.
In 1989, Coach Baylor Guy’s Muleriders swept the AIC championship with a 7-0 record and ranked 14th nationally with a 16-9 record. Pezzoli was a Second Team NAIA All-American that year, ranking as high as eighth in singles and 12th in doubles with John Balderree, before finishing 14th.
Pezzoli won more matches in his four-year career than any other tennis player in SAU history, finishing with a combined 168-14 record in both singles and doubles. He received Southern Arkansas’ Auburn Smith award in 1989, the highest honor bestowed on a SAU athlete.
Following his collegiate career, Pezzoli signed with an Italian professional team in 1990 and played the pro circuit.
Pezzoli started his tennis career early, claiming five straight state and regional junior championships in Mexico, and was ranked second among juniors in Mexico.
