LEXINGTON ? Mark Guilbeau has resigned from his post as University of Kentucky head women?s tennis coach to assume a similar position at Virginia, UK Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart announced Friday.
Guilbeau leaves Kentucky women?s tennis as one of the most successful coaches in the program?s history. The Lafayette, La., native compiled a 152-89 record during his nine seasons in Lexington and was named the Wilson/ITA National Coach of the Year and SEC Coach of the Year last spring after leading Kentucky to its first ever Southeastern Conference regular-season championship and first NCAA-quarterfinal appearance in 17 years. The Cats were ranked as high as No. 2 in the country, marking the team?s highest national ranking, and reached a national final for the first time last February before falling to Stanford in the finals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championships. Kentucky?s stretch of four consecutive NCAA round-of-16 appearances is the longest such streak in school history.
?I?m very appreciative of all that Mark has given to our athletics program and the University of Kentucky,? Barnhart said. ?He has taken the women?s tennis program to the top level and made history by capturing UK?s first SEC Championship in the sport. He has been a model coach and we wish him nothing but the best as he continues his career. We plan to start the search immediately for his replacement. We intend to find a top-notch replacement who will continue the tradition that has been started here at UK.?
Five players garnered 11 All-America honors during Guilbeau?s tenure, and Aibika Kalsarieva became the program?s first SEC Women?s Tennis Player of the Year and first NCAA singles quarterfinalist. In 2002, Amy Trefethen and Sarah Witten made a memorable run in the NCAA doubles championships, reaching the finals before falling to California?s Raquel Kops-Jones and Christina Fusano. Eight student-athletes totaled 11 All-SEC selections under Guilbeau, and five of his squads earned All-Academic team selections from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Twenty Wildcats totaled 49 selections to the SEC Academic Honor Roll and two former Cats earned three academic All-America honors.
?I would like to thank the University of Kentucky and the UK athletic department for the great opportunity and support over the past nine years,? Guilbeau said. ?President (Lee) Todd has been a real and committed supporter of UK athletics and our women?s tennis program. (Athletics Director) Mitch Barnhart has been one of the greatest and most important parts of this process over the past three-and-a-half years.
?I also send my thanks to all of the UK athletics department staff and the many great people at UK and in the Lexington community who have supported our program. Without them, what we do would have much less meaning.?
COMPLETE STATEMENT FROM COACH MARK GUILBEAU
?I would like to thank the University of Kentucky and the UK athletic department for the great opportunity and support over the past nine years. President (Lee) Todd has been a real and committed supporter of UK athletics and our women?s tennis program. (Athletics Director) Mitch Barnhart has been one of the greatest and most important parts of this process over the past three and a half years. He has done more to support and help our program ? and all of the UK athletic programs ? than I can share in written words. Mr. Barnhart has worked tirelessly and directly with myself and our student-athletes at every moment to assure that we have the opportunity to succeed and be happy at UK. His efforts, caring, hard work and vision for UK athletics have brought great success in many areas and is the reason UK celebrated four conference titles during the past year. The University of Kentucky is a great place to be a coach and student-athlete due to the efforts of Mr. Barnhart. He is also one of the reasons that it is very difficult to move away from UK. I thank him very much and wish for only the best as he continues to push UK athletics forward.
?It is most difficult to leave the players on this team and the players who have come before them as well. I have been a very, very fortunate coach over the past nine years and have had many of the greatest student-athletes on this campus in every way. It takes a very special person and young lady to commit to and complete the process here at UK as a women?s tennis player. They have been asked to work very hard on and off the court every day. I thank those that have given their all for the team and have remained committed to UK throughout the completion of their careers. So many of these young ladies have done so many great things. I hope that all of these players ? past and present ? can have great and positive memories of their careers at UK. I wish them the best always.
?I thank all of the coaches who have worked with me and our program over the years. Thanks especially to our current assistant, Carlos Drada, and volunteer assistant, Jonathan Thompson, and head men?s tennis coach Dennis Emery. They have helped build the UK tennis program into one of the best in the country. I send my thanks to all of the UK athletics department staff and the many great people at UK and in the Lexington community who have supported our program. Without them, what we do would have much less meaning.
