University of Tennessee Athletics
Ojeda Earns Contract Extension After Historic 2023 Season
June 29, 2023 | Women's Tennis
Following one of the best seasons in program history in 2023, Tennessee women's tennis head coach Alison Ojeda had her contract extended through June 2028, Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White announced Thursday.
"The sustained positive growth of our women's tennis program under Alison's leadership has been exciting to witness," White said. "Getting back to hosting a regional on campus for the first time since 2011 and setting a record for single-season SEC victories were significant milestones for our program this year, and I look forward to seeing Alison lead our program for years to come on Rocky Top!"
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Ojeda, the 2023 SEC Co-Coach of the Year, has continued to build Tennessee into a national power since taking over the program in the 2016-17 season. The Lady Volunteers have finished five of the last six full seasons inside the top 25 at year's end and have made the NCAA Championship every year under her watch, with the exception of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The year-end ranking of No. 14 to cap the 2023 season is the program's highest since 2010.
"I love being Tennessee's women's tennis head coach and coming to work every day to be around such wonderful, competitive and ambitious young women," Ojeda said. "I also love that when I recruit, I am recruiting for my alma mater. I gave my all to Tennessee as a student-athlete, and now I get to do it even longer as a coach. I also would like to thank Danny for believing in the work that our team is doing."
After picking up victory No. 100 at her alma mater in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, Ojeda led the Lady Vols to a historic 2023 season. Tennessee finished the year 21-6 and 11-2 in Southeastern Conference play. Those 11 victories marked the most single-season conference wins in program history and marked just the second time ever UT recorded double-digit SEC wins. The program eclipsed 20 overall wins for the 12th time in program history—the second time under Ojeda—and she also contributed to three of those 20-win seasons as a student-athlete in 2000, 2001 and 2002.
Upping their success in the postseason, the Lady Vols advanced to the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010 and hosted a regional on Rocky Top for the first time since 2011.
Inside Barksdale Stadium, the Lady Vols went unbeaten in 2023, posting a 13-0 tally on Rocky Top. The defense of the home turf was UT's fifth perfect season at home all-time it has now happened twice under Ojeda's leadership. Thirteen victories also stand as the second-most home wins in a season in program history, trailing only the 2001 team, which netted 14 home wins.
Beyond the courts, Ojeda has proven to be just as polished in developing student-athletes into leaders in the classroom and in the community. A season ago, Tenika McGiffin was named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, becoming the first Lady Vol to earn that acclaim in 15 years. Under Ojeda's watch, the program has earned a perfect Graduation Success Rate (GSR) for each of the last seven years.
For her career, Ojeda has developed two All-Americans, 12 All-SEC, All-SEC Newcomer or SEC All-Freshman honorees and earned the third SEC Coach of the Year award in program history. The 2023-24 season will mark her eighth as Tennessee's head coach.
"The sustained positive growth of our women's tennis program under Alison's leadership has been exciting to witness," White said. "Getting back to hosting a regional on campus for the first time since 2011 and setting a record for single-season SEC victories were significant milestones for our program this year, and I look forward to seeing Alison lead our program for years to come on Rocky Top!"
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Ojeda, the 2023 SEC Co-Coach of the Year, has continued to build Tennessee into a national power since taking over the program in the 2016-17 season. The Lady Volunteers have finished five of the last six full seasons inside the top 25 at year's end and have made the NCAA Championship every year under her watch, with the exception of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. The year-end ranking of No. 14 to cap the 2023 season is the program's highest since 2010.
"I love being Tennessee's women's tennis head coach and coming to work every day to be around such wonderful, competitive and ambitious young women," Ojeda said. "I also love that when I recruit, I am recruiting for my alma mater. I gave my all to Tennessee as a student-athlete, and now I get to do it even longer as a coach. I also would like to thank Danny for believing in the work that our team is doing."
After picking up victory No. 100 at her alma mater in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, Ojeda led the Lady Vols to a historic 2023 season. Tennessee finished the year 21-6 and 11-2 in Southeastern Conference play. Those 11 victories marked the most single-season conference wins in program history and marked just the second time ever UT recorded double-digit SEC wins. The program eclipsed 20 overall wins for the 12th time in program history—the second time under Ojeda—and she also contributed to three of those 20-win seasons as a student-athlete in 2000, 2001 and 2002.
Upping their success in the postseason, the Lady Vols advanced to the Round of 16 in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010 and hosted a regional on Rocky Top for the first time since 2011.
Inside Barksdale Stadium, the Lady Vols went unbeaten in 2023, posting a 13-0 tally on Rocky Top. The defense of the home turf was UT's fifth perfect season at home all-time it has now happened twice under Ojeda's leadership. Thirteen victories also stand as the second-most home wins in a season in program history, trailing only the 2001 team, which netted 14 home wins.
Beyond the courts, Ojeda has proven to be just as polished in developing student-athletes into leaders in the classroom and in the community. A season ago, Tenika McGiffin was named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, becoming the first Lady Vol to earn that acclaim in 15 years. Under Ojeda's watch, the program has earned a perfect Graduation Success Rate (GSR) for each of the last seven years.
For her career, Ojeda has developed two All-Americans, 12 All-SEC, All-SEC Newcomer or SEC All-Freshman honorees and earned the third SEC Coach of the Year award in program history. The 2023-24 season will mark her eighth as Tennessee's head coach.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Tennis
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