Virginia athletics director Craig Littlepage has named Sara O’Leary head coach of the Virginia women’s tennis team.
O’Leary brings a lifetime of tennis knowledge to the program beginning with three state championships while playing for Columbine High School. While playing collegiate tennis at North Carolina, she led the Tar Heels to several NCAA Tournament runs, including one Elite Eight and two Sweet 16 appearances. In her senior year, she teamed up with Jenna Long to win the NCAA doubles championship.
Following graduation, she served as assistant coach at Princeton for one season, and then North Carolina, where she helped lead the Tar Heels to NCAA Tournament appearances each year and was named Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Assistant Coach of the Year in 2011. O’Leary has spent the past three seasons as head coach of the Davidson women’s tennis program. The Wildcats had winning seasons throughout her tenure there.
In his address, Littlepage cited a commitment to academic performance, the ability to build a winning culture and a familiarity with the ACC that made O’Leary a good fit at Virginia. Men’s tennis head coach Andres Pedroso expressed his excitement to work with O’Leary as well.
The announcement comes five weeks after former head coach Mark Guilbeau stepped down. With both Guilbeau and former men’s tennis head coach Brian Boland replaced, the teams will begin to gear up for the 2018 season.