Garner Elevated to Associate Head Coach – Ohio State Buckeyes
6/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Tennis
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ty Tucker, head coach of the Buckeyes, announced Thursday the promotion of Chris Garner to associate head coach of the men’s tennis program at Ohio State.
Garner, who has spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the Buckeyes, begins his new role immediately. The former No. 1-ranked U.S. Junior won 12 national titles including the 1984 16-year-old singles championship and the 1985 18-year-old doubles championship.
“Coach Tucker and Bill Myles (associate athletics director) offered me a great opportunity to be a part of The Ohio State University two years ago,” Garner said. “I feel fortunate to be at OSU and working under Coach Tucker.”
Tucker said the Ohio State program is fortunate to have Garner’s professional contributions to individual instruction and team success.
“Chris has helped Ohio State make the jump to the upper echelon of college tennis,” Tucker said. “He has a passion to develop talent and he understands that Ohio State wants to win. Chris deserves the promotion and all the players on the team are lucky to have such a quality person to learn from. Chris, David (Schilling, volunteer assistant coach) and I will continue to work as hard as we can to try and fill up the trophy case. I appreciate the support that Gene Smith (Ohio State athletics director) continues to give our program.”
Garner also is a former All-American at the University of Georgia. During the fall season of 1987 he compiled a record of 14-3, made the semifinals at the Southern Intercollegiate Championships, won the doubles title at the SIC’s with his freshman partner Al Parker, won the consolation draw at the LSU showcase and reached the final of the ITCA Indoors beating the No. 1 seed en route to the final. In the spring, Garner continued much of the success he had in the fall. He earned All-America honors by reaching the Round of 16 in the NCAA tournament, while leading his team to the Southeastern Conference title.
He left Georgia after one year to play on the professional circuit. Garner achieved an Association of Tennis Professionals ranking of 120, and had impressive wins against such top-rated opponents as Patrick Rafter, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Todd Martin, Malivai Washington and Patrick McEnroe. His best finish as a professional came in the 1993 Australian Open where he reached the Round of 16.
If his accolades as a player are not enough, his credentials as a coach speak for themselves. Garner has worked with numerous top ranked juniors from all over the country and the world. Not to mention all the professionals he has coached during his illustrious career.
Since joining Tucker’s staff in the summer of 2005 the Buckeyes are 58-4 in dual competition, 20-0 in regular-season Big Ten Conference competition and have won both the regular season and conference tournament crowns the last two seasons.
Ohio State has reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA team tournament in each of the last two years.
