EMORY, Va. – Emory & Henry College Director of Athletics Myra Sims is pleased to announce Kevin Girard as the College's next Head Men's Tennis Coach. Girard will begin his duties immediately.
"We welcome Kevin and his successful head coaching experience to our staff! His experience at the Division III level and the success he had at Lawrence over his six years there will serve him, and our program well," said Sims. "Having the opportunity to focus on only one team here rather than coaching two teams as he did at Lawrence, will allow him to really excel in leading our men's program."
For the past six years, Girard has served as the Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. While at the helm of both programs, Girard led the Vikings to program highs and coached 80 Midwest Conference All-Academic Team members.
"I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to coach the Emory & Henry Men's Tennis Team," said Girard. "I look forward to continue to build on an already esteemed and successful program."
Girard was selected as the Midwest Conference Men's Tennis Coach of the Year this past spring and led Lawrence to the MWC Tournament four out of six years. The Vikings had 16 wins in the 2011 season and competed in the ITA Midwest Regional for the first time in program history.
The Viking women claimed two Midwest Conference North Division titles (2008, 2010) and won seven individual conference championships over the six-year period. Girard saw his teams reach the MWC Tournament in three of the last four years and had a program record 14 wins during the 2011 season.
Prior to coaching at Lawrence, Girard was the Assistant Men's and Women's Tennis Coach at Carnagie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In his two years with the Tartans, he helped coach eight All-Americans, and was part of a coaching staff that won UAA Coaching Staff of the Year for both the men's and women's programs in 2005-06. The CMU women's team reached a national ranking of 11 while the men were ranked as high as 14th.
"I am excited to have someone with Kevin's maturity and successful coaching experience in the department, and am confident in his ability to maintain a high level of competitive success in the men's tennis program over time," Sims added.
Girard got his start in coaching at the high school level after graduating from Michigan Technological University in 2003 with a Bachelor's Degree in biological sciences. He also holds the Professional Tennis Registry's highest certicification. A four-year letterwinner for the Huskies, he remains the school's leader in career doubles victories. As a prep standout at Marquette (Mich.) High School, he was a two-time Upper Peninsula State Champion and team captain.
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