Women's Tennis
Patrick Sullivan
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
Former University of Houston and Stephen F. Austin head coach Patrick Sullivan was named the associate head coach for women’s tennis at Texas A&M on August 17, 2015.
“I couldn’t be more excited to announce the hiring of Patrick Sullivan to be the associate head coach of the Texas A&M Women's Tennis Team,” head coach Mark Weaver said. “Patrick brings a wealth of experience and proven success to our program. He has been one of the nation's rising stars as a head coach in college tennis over the last several years, and he is without a doubt one of the best recruiters in the nation.”
Sullivan, Texas A&M Class of ’97 and former member of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Company E-2, brings 11 years of collegiate coaching experience, including five years as a head coach. The Houston native is a two-time conference coach of the year and was a 2015 Wilson/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Women’s National Coach of the Year runner-up.
"Coming home to Texas A&M is a dream come true,” Sullivan expressed. “It is a real privilege to be in a position to give back to a place that has given me so much.
“Mark is a first-rate person and coach who has helped build an elite program with class and integrity. I am excited to come into a championship culture and an athletic department committed to excellence across the board.”
“With Patrick coming on board, I feel even more positive and optimistic about the future of our program,” Weaver added. “We now have two Aggies at the helm, and I love the fact that we can tell recruits all over the world that we are both graduates of Texas A&M. We can speak of our great university straight from the heart based on our experiences as both a student and a coach. In my opinion, it doesn't get much better than that.”
Sullivan, 39, spent the past three seasons as the women’s head coach at the University of Houston, posting a combined 56-23 (.709) record. In 2015, he was named the Wilson/ITA Texas Region Coach of the Year after directing the Cougars to a 22-6 record, including a 9-1 mark against American Athletic Conference opponents and a school-record 11 victories over nationally ranked teams. Houston won 18 consecutive matches – also a program record -- from Feb. 20 to April 17, and was ranked throughout the season by the ITA, with a high mark of No. 28.
“Patrick was awarded the ITA head coach of the year award this past season for the entire Texas region,” Weaver said, “and that speaks to his outstanding achievement over the recent years and to his success this past season.”
Led by sophomore American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and USTA/ITA Texas Regional champion Despoina Vogasari, Sullivan’s Cougars received a bid to the 2015 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championship, the fourth postseason berth in program history and the second in as many seasons.
In addition to the success on the court, the 2015 UH squad was selected as an Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team. In order to qualify for the honor, a program must post a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher for the academic year.
Houston's 22-win season in 2015 capped back-to-back 20-plus win performances, marking the first time in UH history the Cougars recorded 20 or more victories in consecutive seasons. The 2014 squad, which achieved an all-time program high No. 21 national ranking on March 4, 2014, finished the season 21-6 after reaching the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The 21 wins signified an eight-win improvement from Houston's 2013 season, which still stands as the largest win improvement any UH coach as ever posted from year one to year two.
Sullivan, named the 2014 American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, also proved to be quite the recruiter, hauling in nationally recognized recruiting classes, including a 2013 group that was ranked No. 9 in the country by TennisRecruiting.net.
Prior to taking the reins at Houston, Sullivan began his head coaching career by taking over a struggling Stephen F. Austin University team that had finished the 2009-10 season 9-11. During his tenure, the Ladyjacks produced two of the greatest seasons in school history.
School records for both wins and winning percentage were set in Sullivan's inaugural season in 2010-11 as the Ladyjacks went 20-5 overall while achieving their first-ever team national ranking, first top-10 regional finish, first nationally ranked player and highest individual regional ranking.
Sullivan, whose 2011 recruiting class was ranked No. 23 in the nation and No. 1 among mid-majors by TennisRecruiting.net, proceeded to lead a 2012 team that featured four freshmen in the starting lineup to a record-setting 23-5 season. In addition, the Ladyjacks captured their first-ever Southland Conference regular-season and tournament titles en route to a first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, and Sullivan was named the Southland Conference Coach of the Year.
Sullivan made the jump to the head coaching ranks after successful stops at the University of Arkansas and SMU, having played an instrumental role in turning the programs from unranked to the top 25 in three years or less.
Sullivan served as graduate assistant of the Razorbacks from 2004-06 while also completing the degree of Juris Doctor. He was promoted to assistant coach for the 2006-07 season. Sullivan left Arkansas for two years, only to return as an assistant coach for the 2009-10 campaign.
While at Arkansas, Sullivan coached the Razorbacks’ most decorated women's tennis player in program history, Aurelija Miseviciute, who won 125 singles matches from 2005-09 and was a two-time All-American, a two-time ITA National Indoor Champion, a three-time All-SEC selection and was the nation's No. 1-ranked player in back-to-back years.
In between his stops in Fayetteville, Ark., Sullivan served two years as assistant coach at SMU from 2007-09, helping the program reach unprecedented heights. Sullivan helped guide the Mustangs to an all-time best 28-3 record in 2008-09 and their first top-25 finish in 20 years.
During his two-year stint at SMU, three of Sullivan's recruits garnered national rankings in singles and four different doubles pairs appeared in the top 50, including Marta Lesniak, who would eventually reach as high as No. 2 nationally in singles and become an All-American during her SMU career.
Sullivan is married to the former Caroline Lovely, and they have two daughters, Vera and Maya.
The Patrick Sullivan File
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Education: Texas A&M, (bachelor’s of science, POSC); Arkansas, (Juris Doctor)
Family: Caroline (wife); Vera and Maya (daughters)
Coaching Experience
2012-15 University of Houston, head coach
2010-12 Stephen F. Austin State University, head coach
2009-10 University of Arkansas, assistant coach
2007-09 SMU, assistant coach
2004-06 University of Arkansas, graduate assistant
2002-03 Brazos Christian School, head coach
Head Coaching Year-by-Year Record
Year W-L Pct. School
2010-11 20-5 .800 SFA
2011-12 23-5 .821 SFA
2012-13 13-11 .542 Houston
2013-14 21-6 .778 Houston
2014-15 22-6 .786 Houston
Totals 99-33 .750
Coach of the Year Awards
2015 Wilson/ITA Texas Region Coach of the Year
2014 American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year
2012 Southland Conference Coach of the Year
Team Championships
2012 Southland Conference Tournament
2012 Southland Conference Regular Season
Notables
At Houston
At Stephen F. Austin
At Arkansas
At SMU
“I couldn’t be more excited to announce the hiring of Patrick Sullivan to be the associate head coach of the Texas A&M Women's Tennis Team,” head coach Mark Weaver said. “Patrick brings a wealth of experience and proven success to our program. He has been one of the nation's rising stars as a head coach in college tennis over the last several years, and he is without a doubt one of the best recruiters in the nation.”
Sullivan, Texas A&M Class of ’97 and former member of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets Company E-2, brings 11 years of collegiate coaching experience, including five years as a head coach. The Houston native is a two-time conference coach of the year and was a 2015 Wilson/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Women’s National Coach of the Year runner-up.
"Coming home to Texas A&M is a dream come true,” Sullivan expressed. “It is a real privilege to be in a position to give back to a place that has given me so much.
“Mark is a first-rate person and coach who has helped build an elite program with class and integrity. I am excited to come into a championship culture and an athletic department committed to excellence across the board.”
“With Patrick coming on board, I feel even more positive and optimistic about the future of our program,” Weaver added. “We now have two Aggies at the helm, and I love the fact that we can tell recruits all over the world that we are both graduates of Texas A&M. We can speak of our great university straight from the heart based on our experiences as both a student and a coach. In my opinion, it doesn't get much better than that.”
Sullivan, 39, spent the past three seasons as the women’s head coach at the University of Houston, posting a combined 56-23 (.709) record. In 2015, he was named the Wilson/ITA Texas Region Coach of the Year after directing the Cougars to a 22-6 record, including a 9-1 mark against American Athletic Conference opponents and a school-record 11 victories over nationally ranked teams. Houston won 18 consecutive matches – also a program record -- from Feb. 20 to April 17, and was ranked throughout the season by the ITA, with a high mark of No. 28.
“Patrick was awarded the ITA head coach of the year award this past season for the entire Texas region,” Weaver said, “and that speaks to his outstanding achievement over the recent years and to his success this past season.”
Led by sophomore American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and USTA/ITA Texas Regional champion Despoina Vogasari, Sullivan’s Cougars received a bid to the 2015 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championship, the fourth postseason berth in program history and the second in as many seasons.
In addition to the success on the court, the 2015 UH squad was selected as an Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team. In order to qualify for the honor, a program must post a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher for the academic year.
Houston's 22-win season in 2015 capped back-to-back 20-plus win performances, marking the first time in UH history the Cougars recorded 20 or more victories in consecutive seasons. The 2014 squad, which achieved an all-time program high No. 21 national ranking on March 4, 2014, finished the season 21-6 after reaching the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The 21 wins signified an eight-win improvement from Houston's 2013 season, which still stands as the largest win improvement any UH coach as ever posted from year one to year two.
Sullivan, named the 2014 American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, also proved to be quite the recruiter, hauling in nationally recognized recruiting classes, including a 2013 group that was ranked No. 9 in the country by TennisRecruiting.net.
Prior to taking the reins at Houston, Sullivan began his head coaching career by taking over a struggling Stephen F. Austin University team that had finished the 2009-10 season 9-11. During his tenure, the Ladyjacks produced two of the greatest seasons in school history.
School records for both wins and winning percentage were set in Sullivan's inaugural season in 2010-11 as the Ladyjacks went 20-5 overall while achieving their first-ever team national ranking, first top-10 regional finish, first nationally ranked player and highest individual regional ranking.
Sullivan, whose 2011 recruiting class was ranked No. 23 in the nation and No. 1 among mid-majors by TennisRecruiting.net, proceeded to lead a 2012 team that featured four freshmen in the starting lineup to a record-setting 23-5 season. In addition, the Ladyjacks captured their first-ever Southland Conference regular-season and tournament titles en route to a first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, and Sullivan was named the Southland Conference Coach of the Year.
Sullivan made the jump to the head coaching ranks after successful stops at the University of Arkansas and SMU, having played an instrumental role in turning the programs from unranked to the top 25 in three years or less.
Sullivan served as graduate assistant of the Razorbacks from 2004-06 while also completing the degree of Juris Doctor. He was promoted to assistant coach for the 2006-07 season. Sullivan left Arkansas for two years, only to return as an assistant coach for the 2009-10 campaign.
While at Arkansas, Sullivan coached the Razorbacks’ most decorated women's tennis player in program history, Aurelija Miseviciute, who won 125 singles matches from 2005-09 and was a two-time All-American, a two-time ITA National Indoor Champion, a three-time All-SEC selection and was the nation's No. 1-ranked player in back-to-back years.
In between his stops in Fayetteville, Ark., Sullivan served two years as assistant coach at SMU from 2007-09, helping the program reach unprecedented heights. Sullivan helped guide the Mustangs to an all-time best 28-3 record in 2008-09 and their first top-25 finish in 20 years.
During his two-year stint at SMU, three of Sullivan's recruits garnered national rankings in singles and four different doubles pairs appeared in the top 50, including Marta Lesniak, who would eventually reach as high as No. 2 nationally in singles and become an All-American during her SMU career.
Sullivan is married to the former Caroline Lovely, and they have two daughters, Vera and Maya.
The Patrick Sullivan File
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Education: Texas A&M, (bachelor’s of science, POSC); Arkansas, (Juris Doctor)
Family: Caroline (wife); Vera and Maya (daughters)
Coaching Experience
2012-15 University of Houston, head coach
2010-12 Stephen F. Austin State University, head coach
2009-10 University of Arkansas, assistant coach
2007-09 SMU, assistant coach
2004-06 University of Arkansas, graduate assistant
2002-03 Brazos Christian School, head coach
Head Coaching Year-by-Year Record
Year W-L Pct. School
2010-11 20-5 .800 SFA
2011-12 23-5 .821 SFA
2012-13 13-11 .542 Houston
2013-14 21-6 .778 Houston
2014-15 22-6 .786 Houston
Totals 99-33 .750
Coach of the Year Awards
2015 Wilson/ITA Texas Region Coach of the Year
2014 American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year
2012 Southland Conference Coach of the Year
Team Championships
2012 Southland Conference Tournament
2012 Southland Conference Regular Season
Notables
At Houston
- Led Houston to first NCAA Tournament berth since 1998 and third in school history
- Hauled in back-to-back top-25 recruiting cases in 2013 and 2014, including a No. 9 ranking in 2013
- Coached Houston to highest national ranking in school history (UH was ranked No. 21 on March 4, 2014)
- Sophomore Despoina Vogasari named 2014 AAC Freshman of the Year and 2015 AAC Player of the Year
At Stephen F. Austin
- Southland Conference regular-season and tournament champions (2012)
- Set school record for wins in back-to-back seasons
- Led SFA to first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance
- Signed top recruiting class among mid-majors and 23rd overall nationally in 2011
- 20011 team earned ITA All-Academic Team honors for GPA of 3.5 or higher
At Arkansas
- Recruited teams that advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight and Sweet 16
- Recruited and coached the top player in program history, Aurelija Miseviciute,
- Ten student-athletes earned national rankings
At SMU
- Mustangs notched program-best 28 wins during 2008-09 season
- Helped lead SMU to first top-25 ranking in 20 years
- Recruited and coach the top player in program history
- Six student-athletes earned national rankings
Georgia Postgame: Mark Weaver, Mary Stoiana, Mia Kupres
Sunday, May 18
Michigan Postgame: Mark Weaver, Nicole Khirin, Lexington Reed
Saturday, May 17
NCAA Team Championship Preview: Daria Smetannikov
Monday, May 12
NCAA Team Championship Preview: Mia Kupres
Monday, May 12
