University of Tennessee Athletics
Ojeda's Era on Rocky Top Underway
January 27, 2017 | Women's Tennis
By Savannah Babcock
UTSports.com
As the clock struck 10 a.m. on Saturday, Alison Ojeda began her first match as head coach of the Tennessee women's tennis team.
"Honestly, this is one of the most exciting and most rewarding times of my life," Ojeda said. "Every single day, I have a smile when I get to drive onto campus and put on my orange gear. It means the world."
The Vols wasted no time in getting Ojeda her first victory, defeating Air Force in a 6-1 match, but Tennessee had more to prove over the weekend than just getting a single win.
Out of the four total matches, UT had its sights set on competing against Wake Forest, a team that received votes to be in the Top 25 to begin the season. With nine SEC teams currently residing in the Top 25 rankings, WF acted as a measuring stick to where Tennessee stands as a team heading into the spring season.
The Vols stepped up to the challenge, handing the Demon Deacons a 4-1 loss in Goodfriend Tennis Center. Sophomore Sadie Hammond and senior Brittany Lindl both picked up ranked wins to help Tennessee seal the deal in singles.
Going into the matches on the weekend, Ojeda couldn't help but reminisce on her time on Rocky Top as a player. She found herself going through superstitious routines before matches that she used to do when getting ready to play.
"Every time I walked into a room with a mirror, I would look myself in the eyes and tell myself, `I got this!'" Ojeda admitted.
Ojeda also recalled carrying around a large University of Tennessee flag with signatures that she believed would be in her office one day at Tennessee, and now, the flag has it's own spot hanging in her office. She didn't realize that her dream head-coaching job at Tennessee would develop so fast, though.
"I spent six years at Baylor working as an assistant for Joey Scrivano and had a fantastic time, but I got to the point where I was ready to move on," Ojeda said. "I was ready to be a head coach. I was talking to other programs about being the head coach, but then, Mike Patrick called and said `Hold on, we've got something coming up over here, let me tell you about it,' and next thing you know, I was on Tennessee's campus and saying yes to being here."
Ojeda first rejoined Tennessee's program as an assistant coach to Patrick, who was entering his 30th year as head coach of the Vols, in June 2016.
For some, the move to take a lower position may have seemed like a questionable move for someone in coaching, but for Ojeda, it was obvious. This was the opportunity to get her foot in the door at her dream job and alma mater.
While at Tennessee as a student-athlete from 1998-2002, Ojeda set numerous records and earned various honors. She is currently ranked eighth in her career singles (102) and doubles (105) wins. She garnered All-American and All-SEC recognition during her time at UT.
Ojeda also received awards for sportsmanship and academics, being named to the All-SEC Academic Team four times and being the recipient of the ITA National Cissie B. Leary Award and the Southeast Region Arthur Ashe Jr. Award. This mentality came from the belief that her success off the court was just as important for her overall success, and Ojeda now applies this to her players.
"I think everyone has to be all in for success," Ojeda said. "The Thornton Athletics Center has helped us with our schedules so we can get time on the tennis court during the day while still being successful in the classroom. You're going to see a team that holds themselves accountable on a daily basis for their tennis, nutrition, sleep, academics, and everything. I think then what ends up happening is you start seeing results on the court."
Ojeda is passionate about women's tennis and seeing that Tennessee returns to national prominence. With the SEC growing into a powerhouse conference, the journey will not be easy, but if Ojeda and the Vols achieve their goal, it will be on that pays off.
"The only thing I see in the future is winning an SEC Championship which is pretty big," Ojeda said. "To me, if you win an SEC championship, you're going to be competing for a National Championship for sure."
