Kurt Clemmons Named Women's Tennis Assistant Coach
September 12, 2014 | Women's Tennis
“I am thrilled to have Kurt join our staff here at Washington,” Stephenson said. “Having spent a year working with him at Georgia State, I know how motivated and passionate he is about helping this program grow. He played a big role in our success last year and I'm excited to see him continue to grow as a coach here at Washington. I believe he will be a great asset in taking this program to the next level and helping our student-athletes improve on and off the tennis court.”
Clemmons comes to UW after spending the last season with Stephenson on the Panther's staff in the same role. The pair led the GSU women's tennis team to its most successful season in program history as they won the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, defeated No. 31 Tennessee in the first round of NCAA's and helping No. 15 Abigail Tere-Apisah reach the NCAA singles semifinals.
“I am extremely thankful for the opportunity to continue my coaching career here at the University of Washington,” said Clemmons. “To be able to work with Robin and bring the momentum we built at Georgia State to the Washington program is something I'm really looking forward to.”
A former collegiate player and long-time coach, Clemmons spent eight years as an academy coach at the Tennis Academy of the South in Atlanta from 2005-2013. Prior to that he spent two years as an academy coach at the Smith-Stearns Tennis Academy (2002-04) and was an assistant coach at Georgia Tech in 2001. Clemmons began his coaching career in 2000 at the Billy Stearns Tennis Center in Sarasota, Fla.
Clemmons has had success at every level through the top 50 WTA. He was coach to Lilia Osterloh during her rise from No. 97 WTA into the top 50 as well as coaching many other players in the WTA. Additionally he helped two junior girls to the USTA Gold Ball National Championship and contributed in the development of six players who went on to careers that placed them in the WTA top 150.
Clemmons played Division I tennis for four years, lettering for three at Jacksonville University (1994-97) before playing his senior season at Georgia Tech where he graduated in 1999.
