University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Southern Miss Promotes Raynie Theis to Women's Tennis Coach
2/17/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Feb. 17, 2010
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss Director of Athletics Richard Giannini announced Wednesday that interim women's tennis coach Raynie Theis has been promoted to take over the position full-time. The hiring is subject to approval by the IHL Board of Supervisors.
"Raynie has done an outstanding job in an interim basis and our players are pleased and very excited to see her get the job on a full-time basis," Giannini said. "She was an excellent junior and collegiate player while she was at West Virginia and gained great experience in her last coaching opportunity at the University of Massachusetts."
Prior to coming to Southern Miss, Theis was a graduate assistant at the University of Massachusetts where she helped coordinate the annual competition schedule, managed team travel and expenses and planned daily workouts. She helped lead the Minutewomen to the top overall seed in the A-10 Championships and their sixth-consecutive top-four finish. Theis completed her master's degree in sport management during her time there.
In 2006, Theis worked in the United States Tennis Association Northern Office in Bloomington, Minn., as an Adult and Junior Competition Intern. While there, she was a Tournament Site Director for Boys and Girls 14's USTA Northern Junior Sectionals, Tournament Director for the Nike Junior Open, and Assistant Tournament Director for the Adult Aquatennial Tournament. She also served as a Fan Relations intern with the Minnesota Timberwolves/Lynx, facilitating season ticket holder retention and responding to fan requests.
Theis was a standout player at West Virginia University where she was a four-year letterwinner from 2002-06. During her career, she posted a 120-76 record, ranking in the top 15 all-time at W. Va. She owns the top mark in the 40-win seasons (single/doubles) with 49. She posted back-to-back 20 win season in 2004-05 and 2005-06. Theis, who graduated Summa Cum Laude, earned ITA Academic All-American honors and was a member of the West Virginia ITA All-Academic Team for four straight seasons. She earned a bachelor's degree in sport management with a double minor in communications and business.
From 2001-2005, she spent time at the Oak Ridge Country Club (Hopkins, Minn.) as an assistant teaching tennis professional. She organized and taught tennis drills for all age groups and gave private lessons as well.
Theis replaces Randy Rowley who resigned during the fall.
