Cordell Ho is in his 16th season with the California tennis program. He is the associate head coach for the women's team after he previously held the same role from 2007-08. He filled the volunteer assistant position from 2004-07 and again for the 2009 season. Two of Cal's most successful squads--2008 and 2009; the only two to ever advance to the NCAA championship match--have had Ho on staff in one capacity or another.
Ho was instrumental in guiding All-American Susie Babos to Cal's first NCAA singles crown in 2006 and again played an integral role as All-Americans Jana Juricova and Mari Andersson claimed the 2009 NCAA doubles championship. In 2011, Ho's tutelage brought home Cal's second NCAA singles championship as Juricova claimed the title along with ITA National Player of the Year honors and the distinction as the 2010-11 Honda Sports Award Winner.
Hall of Fame head coach Jan Brogan said, "As head coach for 29 years, I had the great fortune of having Cordell as an associate. He is a master-level professional, an excellent technician, and tactician. But what sets him apart from other skilled coaches is his heart. He cares more about the growth and development of each young player than he does about winning."
Prior to joining the women's program, Ho spent five seasons as the associate head coach for the men's program, as well as two seasons in a volunteer role. His return to Cal and the women's team in 2004 helped the Bears advance to the NCAA final four and finish with a No. 5 ranking in 2006-07. He had an influential hand in Cal's best-ever postseason finish as the Bears advanced to the NCAA team final and completed 2008 ranked No. 3 in the ITA poll.
Ho has held several head pro and tennis director appointments on the East Coast, as well as teaching positions at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Washington. He has also had a long-time association with men's head coach Peter Wright, whom Ho coached both as a junior and as a professional on the men's tennis tour.
Born and raised in San Francisco, Ho began playing tennis competitively in Northern California junior tournaments and played collegiate tennis at Oregon, before moving to Vienna, Austria, in order to pursue his music studies.
An active composer of symphonic and chamber music, Ho has written film scores, theater pieces and opera. His music has been performed in the United States, Europe and Asia and he has lectured on music at UC Davis, Columbia University and the University of Washington.
Ho, a Cal graduate, (M.A. '75, B.A. '72), and his wife, Michele (B.A. Cal '79), live in Berkeley, Calif. with their two daughters.
