July 29, 2005

CHARLOTTESVILLE - University of Virginia Athletics Director Craig Littlepage announced Friday (July 29) the hiring of Mark Guilbeau as head coach of the Cavalier women's tennis program. Guilbeau comes to Virginia after spending the previous nine seasons as the head coach of the University of Kentucky women's tennis program.

"The hiring of Mark Guilbeau is another signal that we are committed to building a national women's tennis program," said Littlepage. "Coach Guilbeau is a program builder and does a great job teaching the game. We are fortunate to have attracted a coach of his caliber to take over the program. He will do for our women's tennis team what Brian Boland has done with the men's tennis team."

Guilbeau was the 2005 Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Coach of the Year after leading Kentucky to a 26-6 record, including 10-1 in the Southeastern Conference to capture the school's first regular-season league title. The Wildcats reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament and concluded the season with a No. 4 national ranking. Kentucky was ranked as high as No. 2 during the season after reaching the finals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship in February. Guilbeau was also named SEC Coach of the Year and the ITA Southeast Region Coach of the Year last season.

In his nine-year tenure at Kentucky, Guilbeau had a career record of 152-89. His teams competed in the NCAA Tournament in each of those nine seasons, reaching the round of 16 from 2002-04 and the quarterfinals last season. He coached nine All-Americans while at Kentucky and had 11 NCAA Singles Tournament and eight NCAA Doubles participants. Guilbeau was also named SEC Coach of the Year after the 2003 season.

"The University of Virginia is offering me a great opportunity," said Guilbeau. "I thank Craig Littlepage and Jane Miller, along with their staff at UVa, for all they are doing to make this possible for me. I look forward to working alongside men's tennis coach Brian Boland and hope to do all of the same great things at UVa that we have done at Kentucky. 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. I wish them the best for continued success in the future."

Prior to arriving at Kentucky, Guilbeau was an assistant coach at the University of Georgia for five seasons. While at Georgia, the Bulldogs won the 1994 NCAA Championship, the 1994 and 1995 National Team Indoor Championships, and finished in the top five in the nation each season.

A native of Lafayette, La., Guilbeau played collegiate tennis at Spring Hill College in Mobile Ala. before finishing his undergraduate degree at Southwestern Louisiana in 1988. He received his masters in Health Promotion and Behavior from Georgia in 1992.

Guilbeau replaces Phil Rogers, who retired earlier this month after leading the Cavalier women's tennis program for the past 23 years.