Averett University Athletics

Bobby Shields performed well in both tennis and basketball during his collegiate career at Averett from 1979 to 1983. In tennis, Shields was the conference singles champion in 1983. After graduating that same year with a degree in physical education, he returned as an assistant coach for the women's tennis team from 1993 to 1996, helping guide the team to three conference titles. He took over the program from the fall of 1996 to 1999, and under his direction, Averett enjoyed its most successful period in program history, bringing in two more conference championship banners while coaching the team to a national ranking and producing a two-time winner of the ITA Rolex National Tournament (Elina Tolppa, 1996 and 1997). Shields was also named the USA South Conference Coach of the Year in 1999. He returned to coach the men's tennis team from 2004 to 2009, also coaching the women's program from 2007 to 2009. On the men's side, his squad earned Academic All-America team honors four consecutive years from 2006 to 2009 and he was named the USA South Coach of the Year in 2007.

Shields was inducted into the Averett Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 3, 2015.