University of Tennessee Athletics
Women's Tennis Coach Alison Ojeda Inks New Contract
May 26, 2017 | Women's Tennis
Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics John Currie announced recently that women's tennis coach Alison Ojeda has signed a new contract following an impressive debut season on Rocky Top.
Ojeda now has a five-year contract with an average base salary of $141,000. Contract length and terms are identical to those of UT men's tennis coach Chris Woodruff.
After being promoted to head coach in November, Ojeda led the Volunteers to one of their most productive seasons in recent years. Tennessee had its most wins (19) and highest ITA ranking (12th) since 2011. The Big Orange also earned their first berth in the NCAA Championships since 2014, advancing to the second round.
"It was important for us to recognize the outstanding job Coach Ojeda has done with our women's tennis program and to reward her for the team's all-around performance in its first year under her leadership," Currie said. "Her passion for Tennessee and her high energy are infectious, and I'm excited to see the program continue to excel and compete for championships under Coach Ojeda's direction."
Tennessee opened the spring season on a seven-match winning streak, marking the program's best start since 1990, when it began the year with 10 consecutive victories.
Over the course of the year, Tennessee shut out nine opponents, its most since 2003 and one short of tying the program record of 10. The Volunteers also claimed six top-50 wins on the season, compared to nine over the previous three years combined.
Ojeda played a major role in helping senior Brittany Lindl take her game to the next level and become the top player in the singles lineup, where she had seven ranked wins on the season. Lindl garnered second-team All-SEC honors, the ITA Ohio Valley Region's Most Improved Senior Award and a bid to the NCAA Singles Championships.
Improved on-court performance wasn't the only bright spot for Tennessee women's tennis this season, as Ojeda also emphasized community outreach in the Knoxville area, which earned Tennessee a share of its first-ever national ITA Community Service Award.
The women's tennis program also excelled in the classroom during the 2017 spring semester, posting a team GPA of 3.32.
A former Tennessee All-American and a 2002 UT graduate, Ojeda initially returned to her alma mater as an assistant coach in June 2016.
Players Mentioned
