North Carolina State University Athletics
Earnshaw Named NC State Women's Tennis Coach
5/30/2014 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
May 30, 2014
RALEIGH, N.C. - Simon Earnshaw, who has guided his programs to an NCAA Division II record nine national championships, has been named as head women's tennis coach at NC State.
Earnshaw comes to Raleigh after an historic 15-year run as head men's and women's coach at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Ga., where he directed its women's program to six national titles, and its men's program to three. He is a four-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Women's Coach of the Year (2004, 2006, 2009, 2012) and 19-time Peach Belt Conference Coach of the Year.
"Simon shares our vision that the Wolfpack's potential is unlimited," said director of athletics, Debbie Yow. "He is a proven winner who, over time, will lead our women's tennis team to compete at the top of the ACC and NCAA. I thank Michael Lipitz and our search committee for their excellent work."
"I am honored and thankful to Debbie Yow and Michael Lipitz for the opportunity to lead Wolfpack Women's Tennis," said Earnshaw. "NC State offers a first-class academic experience and we will deliver an equal tennis experience. My family and I are extremely excited by the support and clear vision for all the programs. I look forward to the challenge of establishing our program among the ACC and nation's elite."
A native of Holmfirth, England, he was hired as assistant men's and women's tennis coach at Armstrong Atlantic for the 1998-99 season. A year later he was elevated to the head position and his programs responded by making history.
The numbers speak for themselves. In addition to the nine national titles, his programs reached 13 NCAA Division II finals, 18 Final Fours, 23 NCAA quarterfinals, produced 35 ITA All-Americans, 30 ITA Scholar-Athletes, and 15 ITA All-Academic teams.
Earnshaw guided Armstrong Atlantic to an overall mark of 747-118 (.864). His women's teams sported a 411-35 record (.922), including a 325-11 record the last 11 seasons (.967), while his men's program notched a 336-83 mark (.802).
His women's programs captured six of the nine NCAA Division II crowns between 2005-13, while his men's team won three times during that stretch. Additionally, his squads swept both the men's and women's team titles on three occasions - 2008, 2009 and 2012.
During his tenure his teams posted five undefeated seasons (2005, 2010 and 2012 - women; 2008 and 2012 - men) including a combined 59-0 mark during a perfect 2012 campaign. The Pirates currently hold a 135-match home winning streak (2003-present) and a 123-match Peach Belt Conference winning streak (2003-present).
Beyond dominating the Division II level, Earnshaw's players have also registered numerous fall tournament victories against nationally ranked players from all five major Divison I conferences: ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac 12 and SEC.
In his native England, Earnshaw is a Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) qualified coach at the national level. He also worked extensively with some of the world's top players at the Nick Bolletieri Sport Academy during the summer months of 1993 to 1998.
Earnshaw earned his Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Georgia College and State University (GCSU) in 1996, where helped the Bobcats to top 10 national rankings in each of his four seasons as a collegiate tennis player. He earned his Masters of Education in health and physical education in 1998, also from GCSU.
He and his wife, Nichole, have two daughters, Abigail (13) and Ella (11), and two sons, Luke (10) and Lleyton (5).
What they are saying about Earnshaw:
• Scott Triebly - Head Coach and Director of Recruiting IMG Academy
"This is a great hire for NC State. Simon Earnshaw is a winner and a rising star in college tennis. With his recruiting talents and ability to develop players he will put the Wolfpack on the national stage for many years to come."
• Nancy Harris - Head Women's Tennis Coach - Clemson (2014 ACC Women's Coach of the Year)
"Simon is a great fit for the ACC. He is one of the best coaches in the country and is certainly proved that with his history at Armstrong Atlantic. The ACC is so highly competitive and draws the most competitive coaches and I believe he is one of the most competitive coaches in the country and will do an outstanding job for North Carolina State."
• Mark Beyers - Head Women's Tennis Coach - Ole Miss
"I think this a great hire for NC State and a great step towards NC State competing for an ACC title. Simon is a relentless recruiter and has a great tennis mind. You can see the success he had at Armstrong Atlantic and it's just a matter of time before he does that at NC State."
• Carlos Drada - Head Women's Tennis Coach - Kentucky
"I am thrilled to see that Simon Earnshaw was hired by NC State. He is one of those rare coaches who is able to recruit and to develop players while competing with class and great intensity all in the student athletes' best interest"
• Dan Regan - Men's Tennis Player - Armstrong Atlantic (2010-2013) - (108-21 singles record, 105-21 doubles record)
"He really gets the best out of his players, his results and record speak for itself. He demands a lot from his players, but he's unbelievably fair in how he does that. He's a born winner and he establishes that kind of competitiveness and enthusiasm into all of his players. If you buy into what he does, NC State will be an unbelievably successful team, I'm 100 percent sure of that."
Career Record and Achievements ...
Women's Program
| Year | Team Record | Regular Season Conf. Finish | Conference Tourney Finish | NCAA Finish |
| 2014 | 28-2 | 1st (13-0) | 1st | Runner-Up |
| 2013 | 30-1 | 1st (13-0) | 1st | Champions |
| 2012 | 29-0 | 1st (12-0) | 1st | Champions |
| 2011 | 28-3 | 1st (12-0) | 1st | Semifinalist |
| 2010 | 33-0 | 1st (12-0) | 1st | Champions |
| 2009 | 28-1 | 1st (10-0) | 1st | Champions |
| 2008 | 32-1 | 1st (10-0) | 1st | Champions |
| 2007 | 29-1 | 1st (11-0) | 1st | Semifinalist |
| 2006 | 30-1 | 1st (8-0) | 1st | Runner-Up |
| 2005 | 30-0 | 1st (10-0) | 1st | Champions |
| 2004 | 28-1 | 1st (10-0) | 1st | Semifinalist |
| 2003 | 21-7 | 2nd (9-1) | 2nd | Round of 16 |
| 2002 | 26-4 | 1st (10-0) | 1st | Runner-Up |
| 2001 | 22-6 | 2nd (9-1) | 1st | Quarterfinals |
| 2000 | 17-7 | 1st (11-0) | 2nd | Quarterfinals |
| • 411-35 Overall record |
• 13 Regular season Titles • 160-2 Conference record |
• 13 Postseason conference tournament championships |
• 6 National Championships |
Men's Program
| Year | Team Record | Regular Season Conf. Finish | Conference Tourney Finish | NCAA Finish |
| 2014 | 20-7 | T-1st (9-1) | 2nd-Final not played | Semifinalist |
| 2013 | 27-2 | 1st (10-0) | 1st | Runners-Up |
| 2012 | 30-0 | 1st (9-0) | 1st | Champions |
| 2011 | 26-1 | 1st (9-0) | 1st | Round of 16 |
| 2010 | 30-2 | 1st (9-0) | 1st | Quarterfinals |
| 2009 | 30-1 | 1st (7-1) | 1st | Champions |
| 2008 | 31-0 | 1st (8-0) | 1st | Champions |
| 2007 | 27-4 | 1st (9-0) | 1st | Quarterfinals |
| 2006 | 18-7 | 1st (6-0) | 1st | Round of 16 |
| 2005 | 22-7 | T-1st (7-1) | 1st | Semifinalist |
| 2004 | 15-11 | T-4th (4-4) | 3rd | Round of 64 |
| 2003 | 12-12 | 5th (5-3) | 4th | Round of 32 |
| 2002 | 13-12 | T-4th (4-3) | 3rd | Round of 32 |
| 2001 | 15-10 | 4th (5-3) | 4th | Round of 32 |
| 2000 | 20-7 | 1st (8-0) | 2nd | Quarterfinals |
| • 336-83 Overall record |
• 10 Regular season Titles • 109-16 Conference record |
• 9 Postseason conference tournament championships |
• 3 National Championships |
