Hall of Fame
- Induction:
- 2007
- Class:
- 1982
Debbie Dotson is a name that is synonymous with Mississippi State women’s tennis. Affectionately known as “Double D” lettered at Mississippi State from 1979-82. She is the first female tennis player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Dotson was the first woman to earn a full athletic scholarship to Mississippi State. A Winona native, Dotson began playing tennis at age eleven. From 1974-1978, she was ranked number one by the Mississippi Tennis Association in every junior age division for both singles and doubles. She was named the Mississippi High School Association Singles champion for back-to-back-to-back seasons from 1976 –78. Additionally, she was chosen to represent the Magnolia State in the Seventeen Magazine Tournament of Champions for those same years.
An incredibly well-rounded student athlete at Winona, Dotson graduated as Valedictorian. She was also a four-year letter winner in basketball, earning All-District and All-State recognition. However, Dotson’s heart was on the tennis court. She was ranked third overall in the state heading into her first season with the Bulldogs.
In her debut season as a Bulldog, Dotson did not disappoint. Her speed, agility and style made her one of the more entertaining athletes on the collegiate level. In 1978, “Double D” was the only Mississippi State varsity tennis player to compete at the AIAW Championship.
Heading into her sophomore season, Dotson would be plagued with injuries. She would end the season with a 15-11 record before coming back even stronger in the summer of 1980. After taking three weeks to recover, Dotson picked up three singles victories, including the Mississippi Open. She finished the summer undefeated in doubles and picked up only one loss in singles. This comeback earned Dotson the title of Mississippi Tennis Association’s Player of the Year in 1980.
Dotson was a dominant player on the college courts, however, in an age where tennis was only just gaining popularity, the Mississippi State club as a whole struggled. A coaching change would occur in 1981, and Dotson would be plagued by another injury.
Heading into her final season at Mississippi State, Dotson was playing better than ever. Dotson was a veteran leader for the talented new Bulldog squad. In a breakout year for women’s tennis at the university, the Bulldogs went 16-19 before joining the SEC the next year. She was named to the Mississippi Women's Collegiate All-State team at the conclusion of the season.
Dotson would graduate Mississippi State Magna Cum Laude as a four-year athletic letterwinner. After departing from the university, Dotson continued her tennis career and has been a driving force for tennis across the state. A tennis professional in Oxford, Dotson is nationally recognized as a trailblazer in the sport. While still a talented player, Dotson’s true passion is coaching. In 2002, Dotson received the Gerrie Rothwell Award. This award honors the most dedicated tennis professional in the UTSA program.
An ambassador for Mississippi State on all levels, Debbie “Double D” Dotson is one of the best and most dedicated tennis athletes in Mississippi history. She was inducted into the Mississippi Tennis Hall of Fam in 2008.
Dotson, now Swindoll, is still incredibly active in the tennis world. She resides in Oxford with her husband, Arliss. She has two children, Meg and Will.
