McLaughlin Named SFA Head Tennis Coach
8/19/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin Director of Athletics Robert Hill has announced the hiring of Jon McLaughlin as SFA’s head women’s tennis coach.
“Jon brings a wealth of experience to the position for which I’m really excited about,” Hill said. “His enthusiasm and work ethic will be most beneficial in keeping our tennis program among the best in the Southland Conference. I’m looking forward to the coming years under his leadership.”
McLaughlin bring with him 15 years of coaching and teaching experience in the tennis world as he comes to SFA after spending the past season as an assistant coach at Tulane University. With the Green Wave, McLaughlin helped oversee one of the biggest turnarounds in the nation, taking a team that went 5-20 in 2014 to 17-9 in 2015.
During his season in New Orleans, McLaughlin helped guide Tulane to a second-place finish in the American Athletic Conference as the Green Wave advanced to the tournament semifinals. Tulane was ranked as high as 47th in the national tennis rankings and recorded four victories over top-75 opponents.
Prior to his time at Tulane, McLaughlin spent four years filling the role as either Director of Tennis or as the tennis professional at clubs throughout Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana, including a stint as the Director of Tennis at the Striesfield Group based out of Houston.
McLaughlin spent one season at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, helping guide the Big Green to their highest program win total (16) and national ranking (37th) in program history.
Prior to his time at Dartmouth, McLaughlin spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Arkansas, helping guide the Razorbacks to a major program turnaround. Inheriting a team that had lost 42-straight SEC matches, Arkansas qualified for the NCAA tournament in 2006 as McLaughlin mentored two-time National Indoor Champion and two-time All-American Aurelija Miseviscuite.
McLaughlin began his coaching career with a two-year stint as an assistant coach at Central Arkansas from 2001-02 when the Bears were still competing at the Division II level.
A native of Fairfield Bay, Arkansas, McLaughlin was a four-year letterwinner at Ouachita Baptist University, helping the Tigers claim three top-five finishes at the Division I level from 1996-98 before earning his degree in business administration.
McLaughlin inherits a Ladyjack team that is coming off a Southland Conference championship after posting a 16-7 overall mark and a 10-1 SLC record. SFA returns the SLC Newcomer of the Year in Dhanielly Quevedo and second team All-SLC selection Valeria Terentyeva as SFA looks to repeat its success from 2015.
The McLaughlin File
Hometown: Fairfield Bay, Arkansas
Playing Experience: Ouachita Baptist University (1996-98)
Coaching Experience
2015-Present: Stephen F. Austin (Head coach)
2014: Tulane (Assistant coach)
2013: The Striesfeld Group, Houston, Texas (Director of tennis)
2012: Rebsamen Tennis Center, Little Rock, Ark. (Director of junior tennis)
2011: Country Club of Little Rock, Little Rock, Ark. (Associate head professional)
2010: Querbes Tennis Center, Shreveport, La. (Tennis professional)
2009: Dartmouth College (Assistant coach)
2008-09: Arkansas Elite Training, Fayetteville, Ark. (Owner/director)
2003-07: Arkansas (Assistant coach)
2001-02: Central Arkansas (Assistant coach)
-SFA-
