Head Coach Pollard Wins 600th Women’s Tennis Dual Match
2/16/2025 7:07:00 PM | Women's Tennis
EVANSTON, Ill. – With the 'Cats's doubleheader sweep of UIC and Milwaukee on Sunday, Northwestern head women's tennis coach Claire Pollard secured her 600th women's dual win. She becomes the ninth-ever women's tennis coach to reach the milestone and one of four active women's tennis coaches with 600 or more victories.
Pollard took the helm as Northwestern's fourth head coach for women's tennis ahead of the 1999 season and began the work of building her legacy immediately. Beginning with her first season in Evanston, Pollard shepherded the 'Cats to 11 consecutive conference championships from 1999-2009, then added in two more in 2012 and 2018. At the same time, Pollard's squads strung together 15 Big Ten Tournament titles in 16 years between 1999 and 2014.
The run earned Pollard 2008 Wilson/ITA National Coach of the Year honors, as well as five Wilson/ITA Midwest Region Coach of the Year awards. A five-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, she won the title in back-to-back seasons in 2008 and 2009.
Now in her 27th season leading the 'Cats, Pollard has amassed a 527-187 overall record at NU, guiding the team to the NCAA Tournament in all but one year of her tenure. Under her guidance, the 'Cats secured back-to-back ITA National Team Indoor Championship titles in 2009 and 2010, and in 2006, Pollard coached Alexis Prousis and Cristelle Grier to the second NCAA Doubles National Championship in Northwestern history.
Prior to her time in Evanston, Pollard served as head coach at her alma mater, Mississippi State, for the 1991 season before taking the reins of the men's and women's teams at Lamar from 1994-1998.
As of the start of the 2025 dual season, Pollard ranked fourth among active DI women's tennis coaches in career victories and 21st among the same group in career winning percentage, at over .700.
Pollard took the helm as Northwestern's fourth head coach for women's tennis ahead of the 1999 season and began the work of building her legacy immediately. Beginning with her first season in Evanston, Pollard shepherded the 'Cats to 11 consecutive conference championships from 1999-2009, then added in two more in 2012 and 2018. At the same time, Pollard's squads strung together 15 Big Ten Tournament titles in 16 years between 1999 and 2014.
The run earned Pollard 2008 Wilson/ITA National Coach of the Year honors, as well as five Wilson/ITA Midwest Region Coach of the Year awards. A five-time Big Ten Coach of the Year, she won the title in back-to-back seasons in 2008 and 2009.
Now in her 27th season leading the 'Cats, Pollard has amassed a 527-187 overall record at NU, guiding the team to the NCAA Tournament in all but one year of her tenure. Under her guidance, the 'Cats secured back-to-back ITA National Team Indoor Championship titles in 2009 and 2010, and in 2006, Pollard coached Alexis Prousis and Cristelle Grier to the second NCAA Doubles National Championship in Northwestern history.
Prior to her time in Evanston, Pollard served as head coach at her alma mater, Mississippi State, for the 1991 season before taking the reins of the men's and women's teams at Lamar from 1994-1998.
As of the start of the 2025 dual season, Pollard ranked fourth among active DI women's tennis coaches in career victories and 21st among the same group in career winning percentage, at over .700.
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