JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Carson-Newman men's and women's tennis head coach Jean Love has announced that she is stepping down from her head coaching position, capping off 30 years at the helm for the Eagles.
"Jean leaves a long and great legacy on the tennis program," Carson-Newman Athletic Director Allen Morgan said. "For me, it is bittersweet because I'm so proud of the impact she has had on numerous student-athletes lives. We wish her well and thank her for the many contributions she has given to this Carson-Newman program."
In her coaching career, Love guided the Lady Eagles to a 21-8 record and an NCAA Division II Sweet 16 appearance in 1996-97 and was named the South Atlantic Conference Women's Coach of the Year in 1998. She guided the women's team to a SAC Regular Season Championship in 2008 and a SAC Tournament Championship in 2009. Love was also named the SAC Women's Coach of the Year in 2008.
"We all have our seasons in life and my season in coaching is over and in the past few months, God has made that evident to me," Love said. "I believe that it is in the best interest of the tennis program for someone to come in and bring a new, fresh perspective to get it back to being a consistent winner."
A 1983 graduate of Carson-Newman, Love earned a B.S. in Health and Physical Education. She played on the Lady Eagle tennis team from 1980-83 and earned NAIA All-American honors in 1981 and 1983. She was seeded first in the 1981 NAIA tournament and made it all the way to the semifinals of the 1983 tourney.
She received NAIA honorable mention accolades in 1982 and was an NAIA Scholar-Athlete in 1983. She still holds the C-N women's career doubles victory record with 88 wins.
After graduating from C-N, Love went to Vanderbilt University where she received her Master's in Education in Health Promotion and Exercise Science. While there, she also served as the assistant women's tennis coach at David Lipscomb University.
In 1988, Love returned to C-N to serve as head coach of the men's and women's tennis programs. After two years, she joined the Health, Physical Education and Recreation faculty. In 1991, Love earned a Doctorate in Human Performance and Sport Studies from the University of Tennessee.
Aside from coaching, she teaches, provides academic advising and serves on a number of committees.
The Jefferson City, Tenn. native has always had a special connection with the Carson-Newman tennis program. The link began when she was just a little girl who received a gift from Charles "Buddy" Catlett, the namesake of the tennis complex on campus.
"Buddy gave me a racquet when I was six years old so a girl from Jefferson City could play tennis," Love reflected. "He encouraged me and so many others in his lifetime and I just hope that I have encouraged others in my time here, too.
"I am going to miss everything – the players, relationships and competition – but I have no regrets because it has been great doing all I have ever wanted to do."
A national search for the next Carson-Newman tennis head coach will begin immediately.
