Southern Miss Names Women's Tennis Coach
7/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Southern Miss Names Women's Tennis Coach
?Randy has an outstanding track record and experience as a tennis coach and will be a tremendous asset to our athletics program," Giannini said. "He has great contacts in the recruiting world of women?s tennis and will make a dramatic impact on our program.?
Rowley comes to Southern Miss after serving as the assistant men's tennis coach at Texas Tech University for the past three seasons. During that time, he handled the team's community outreach and promotions programs. The Red Raiders were nationally ranked all three years during Rowley's tenure.
Prior to his three-year stint at Texas Tech, Rowley was the head men's tennis coach at the University of Louisiana-Monroe from 1995-2000. He changed titles in 1999, serving as the director of tennis, coaching both the men's and women's programs during the 1999 and 2000 seasons. He compiled a 52-36 record at ULM and a 14-2 Southland Conference record. He led the Indians to two Southland Conference titles, three years in the national rankings and a berth in the NCAA Tournament once, marking the first time in 25 years that ULM reached the national tournament. During the 1999-01 seasons, he served as a NCAA representative at the NCAA National Tournament.
He spent three years as the head women's coach and assistant men's coach at The University of Louisiana-Lafayette from 1993-95. The women's program reached a national ranking of No. 36 during his tenure of ULL. He also served as an assistant coach with the men's and women's tennis programs at the University of Kansas during the 1986 and 1987 seasons. The Jayhawks reached as high as No. 21 in the national rankings and won the Big Eight Conference once.
After serving as a student assistant coach with the women's tennis program at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan., from 1979-84, he was the director of tennis at Seward County Community College in Liberal, Kan., from 1984-86. During his tenure at Southwestern, he helped lead the program to four KCAC team championships and three NAIA District 10 runner-up finishes.
During his coaching career, Rowley has spent nine years as the head coach of Tennis: Europe, five years as the head coach for the national team of Tennis: Europe and 11 years coaching internationally in Europe, coaching nationally-ranked juniors on the American and European Junior Circuits. He has coached players on the ATP and WTA Circuits, served as the president of the junior programs on the board of officers for the Dallas Tennis Association in 1992 and spent five years as the DTA representative at the USTA Area Training Center. He also served as a teaching professional at tennis camps, schools and racquet clubs in the south, midwest and as far west as Los Angeles.
Rowley graduated with his bachelor's degree in physical education from Southwestern College in 1984. He is married to the former Claire Beaugh.
"I'm excited about the opportunity of serving as the head women's tennis coach at Southern Miss," Rowley said. "The athletic administration is very positive and forward about the advancement of the women's programs at the University. Conference USA is an outstanding conference but one in which you can compete and win. My immediate goal is to start bringing in top recruits to build a strong foundation and then work our way up to the top of the conference."
?After 26 years of existence, I feel the women?s tennis program will be moving to the next level with the addition of Randy Rowley as head coach." Associate Athletics Director for Olympic Sports and Senior Woman Administrator Sonya Varnell said. "He has extensive recruiting contacts, and is committed to the women?s game. It is with great joy that we welcome him and his wife to the Lady Eagle family.?