Women's Tennis
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- tlane@athletics.msstate.edu
Beginning her 13th season at the helm of Mississippi State's women's tennis program, Head Coach Tracy Lane looks forward to the 2009 season with aspirations of continuing the program's success of years past.
During her first decade, Lane guided MSU to four NCAA appearances. Her 2005 squad claimed the SEC Western Division Championship, ending the year at a No. 26 national ranking, second highest ranking in school history behind 1989's No. 20 finish.
In 2005, Lane passed former Mississippi State head coach Andy Jackson with her 70th career win at MSU, posting her name atop the women's tennis records section.
Carrying that same passion from the courts, she has seen profound success from her athletes in the classroom. During her stint, no team has made below a 3.0 GPA as a group. Lane has made academic emphasis a goal and vows to keep it strong. All 12 of her previous squads have been honored by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association as All-Academic Teams. Last year's team was no different, repeating the success with another team GPA above 3.0 and four individual player honors as well as five on the SEC academic honor roll.
"We have all the support staff in place to be successful in the classroom. [The players] get monitored on attendance and grades and we make sure that they do everything possible to be successful. I also feel that how you handle yourself in the classroom is a reflection of how you are going to handle your life," credited Lane.
Knowing what it takes to be a player and the struggles that being a student-athlete involve, Lane looks to be a coach that her players feel they can go to. Starting out her MSU coaching journey at the age of 26, she has learned to coach on a personal level with her athletes, hoping to make coaching an unselfish act. She has become aware of which battles to fight and how to prioritize the two worlds.
"You have to be willing to give yourself to your athletes," explained Lane. "Be there for them when they need you, have an open door policy. I have learned over the years that you are not going to have great relationships with all your athletes. This realization was really hard for me to deal with as a coach because I wanted to have an impact in all my athletes' lives. I have come to realize that the coach-player relationship takes a lot of work from both the coach and the athlete. There are some people that are not willing to put in that time. Learning things in life and doing things begins a lot with relationships."
The Johannesburg, South Africa, native began her career as a member of Nancy Harris' Auburn-Montgomery staff for three years after becoming an integral part of the AUM program which was in its early stages. By the time Lane's sophomore season was complete, the AUM team had risen to a No. 6 NAIA national ranking and went on to top-five showings during her junior and senior campaigns. Lane also attained individual success, earning a No. 12 singles ranking and a No. 1 doubles ranking as a senior.
A two-time NAIA All-American during her playing career with the Lady Senators, Lane joined Harris' staff as a graduate assistant in 1992 and was responsible for many of the duties that would normally be reserved for a full-time assistant. But with none on the staff, Lane assumed the responsibilities and helped guide the AUM women's team to the NAIA championship in her first season. In her second season on the AUM staff, she helped steer both the men's and women's programs to top-five rankings while earning her master's degree in physical education.
After spending a year as the assistant tennis professional at the Montgomery Country Club, Lane was offered an opportunity she could not refuse. AUM recognized that it could no longer expect Harris to direct both the men's and women's programs without a full time assistant. Lane assumed the post at her alma mater in October 1995. In her last season at Auburn-Montgomery, her first as a full-time assistant, Lane added another national title to her coaching resume, helping guide the AUM men's program to the 1996 NAIA crown.
After helping establish AUM in the tennis ranks, Lane was offered a job at the helm of Mississippi State University in 1996 as women's tennis head coach.
Becoming a head coach at a young age, and in some respects growing up with them, has given Lane a different outlook on many things. She has become more than a coach to her players and has had the privilege of becoming a mother. During her time here, she and her husband have raised their own family and have become intertwined within the MSU athletic family.
Lane is married to Glasgow, Ky., native David Lane, who currently serves as a computer applications teacher and assistant baseball coach at Starkville High School. The couple has two sons, Dylan (9) and Tyler (6).
