Chris Hooshyar Brings Blue-Collar Style To Women’s Tennis Program
June 12, 2023 | Women's Tennis, Joel Coleman
New head coach of the Bulldogs has been molding winners for the last decade.
STARKVILLE – Blue collar. It's a term the Mississippi State family embraces.
Bulldogs love being the hardest workers in the room, the most resilient on the field or the toughest on the court. They don't mind getting the Maroon and White garments dirty. In fact, it brings a smile to the face.
Well, everyone who loves or is associated with the MSU women's tennis program can start smirking because the new leader of the Bulldogs is ready to build a blue-collar team that showcases State's gritty, gutsy demeanor.
Chris Hooshyar was named Mississippi State's head coach on Monday. After a decade at Auburn where he's spent time serving as the right-hand man for both the women's and men's teams, Hooshyar hops across the state line to Starkville prepared and ready to take the Bulldogs to great heights precisely the way MSU fans like it – by getting after it. It's the only way Hooshyar knows.
"I want my teams to be known for being blue collar," Hooshyar said. "I want other teams to know when they play our team, they're in for an absolute fight. We're going to be physical. We're going to fight to the end. And if you beat us, we'll be the first ones to shake your hand because we'll respect and know that if that happens, that you worked to beat us."
It's a blueprint that's led to some of the most successful seasons in State history across the entire sports landscape and Hooshyar is set to implement the same scheme in women's tennis. He seems to be just the man for the task, as indicated by his impressive background that's already seen him excel both as a coach and former player.
"Chris is a dynamic recruiter and a proven winner in the Southeastern Conference," MSU Director of Athletics Zac Selmon said. "He is a creative, innovative rising star in college tennis who has elevated every program he has been a part of as both a coach and student-athlete. His track record of leadership, relationship-building and student-athlete development on and off the court make him a terrific fit to lead our program. We are thrilled to welcome Chris, his wife Meagan and their daughters, Charlotte and Halton, to the Mississippi State family."
Chat with Hooshyar – a Manchester, England, native – for any length of time and you'll quickly discover why he's a perfect fit for the Magnolia State. You might guess his roots were in the Delta or the Pine Belt as opposed to across the Atlantic.
He wears boots with his blue jeans. His biggest hobbies are hunting and golfing. And above all else, he's driven by family.
"My why is my wife and kids," Hooshyar said. "That's why I do what I do every day. I want my daughters to see a team full of great women working to achieve their goals academically, on the tennis courts and then onward into life."
Hooshyar's daughters already have quite the example in the form of their father. Here's a man who's worked tirelessly for this moment himself.
He played collegiate tennis at SMU where he was a two-year team captain that posted 35 career singles victories. He made a trip to the 2008 NCAA Tournament as an individual. He was also previously a top-ranked juniors player in England.
After Hooshyar's playing success, he began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at his alma mater. He then went to Auburn in 2014 where he's been ever since – learning, growing and prepping himself for what's now in his grasp.
In the last 10 years on The Plains, Hooshyar has proven himself on both the men's and women's side. He was an assistant with the women for the first half of his tenure and was tabbed the National Assistant Coach of the Year by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association in 2016. In 2022, with the men, Hooshyar was the ITA Southern Region Assistant of the Year.
Winning came aplenty no matter which team Hooshyar was with. He helped the Auburn women to five NCAA Tournament appearances, two Sweet 16s and three 20-win seasons. For the men, Hooshyar guided multiple players to NCAA appearances and this past season, helped lead the Tigers to the NCAA Tournament and a No. 23 finish as a team.
Through it all, Hooshyar has had the chance to see what works and what doesn't. He's soaked in knowledge from some of the country's most well-known coaches.
"I have so many good relationships with so many good coaches that I've asked questions," Hooshyar said. "I've watched from the side. I've taken things in."
One of Hooshyar's coaching coworkers once asked him what he'd base his own coaching style on if he ever became a head coach. Hooshyar settled on three words and it's those three words he wants his new team to see in him every day.
"Committed, honest and influential," Hooshyar said. "In my eyes, if you do all those three things, you'll develop trust with your players. Once you have trust, I've seen by creating the right environment and right processes where we're all helping each other get better, that's what it takes to build a program. But it starts with me."
Fortunately, Hooshyar is well aware he'll have plenty of help at Mississippi State as he puts his fingerprints on the program.
He's got first-class amenities.
"The new Rula indoor facility is phenomenal," Hooshyar said. "I'm grateful to have that as an asset to our program. The outdoor facility has so much tradition in it and so many recent improvements that make it great. Care and thought have gone into that facility to make it nice…You have everything you need to succeed at Mississippi State."
Then, there's the support of MSU's leadership. Hooshyar was blown away by the vision of Selmon and his executive team.
"Zac impressed the heck out of me," Hooshyar said. "He's a young guy, but his morals and his fundamentals are old school. It's based off of blue-collar hard work. His vision for Mississippi State is incredible. His drive to get there is incredible. They're all people I want to work for and make proud."
Given Hooshyar's own work ethic, it's a safe bet Selmon and all Bulldogs will indeed be proud of their new women's tennis leader.
Case in point: Hooshyar is already geared up to get to work. He hasn't gotten to this point by sitting still and he doesn't intend to start now.
"First thing is getting with my girls and getting to know them and setting out who we are as a team," Hooshyar said. "We want to set out realistic goals. We want to make sure that whatever our ceiling is as players, that we're going to reach it. It's recognizing and knowing what our max is and getting the most out of ourselves. If we can reach our full potential, that's success, and that's the first thing I'm going to do with the girls.
"Then the second thing is I'm going to hit the ground hard and be on the road recruiting, finding players that fit the mold of Starkville and fit the community, which is hard-working, blue collar, respectful competitors. That's what I'm going to find."
There's a drive within Hooshyar to do all he can to take Mississippi State to great heights, and that drive is fueled by an understanding that absolutely nothing is given. You get what you work for, and no one gets that any better than Hooshyar.
Hooshyar worked for years to finally earn this shot to be a head coach. Now, the grind continues as he turns his focus to going even harder and proving everyone right that helped him get to this point and afforded him this chance.
"It's just the opportunity of a lifetime and I couldn't be more grateful," Hooshyar said. "I'm thankful to Auburn for the opportunity they gave me. I'm thankful to all my former players. I'm thankful to my family. I'm thankful to Zac Selmon and everyone at Mississippi State. I'm absolutely honored and excited by the responsibility to make Mississippi State fans proud and the community proud."