The name Paul Calkins is synonymous with Niagara women’s tennis. Now in his sixth season, Calkins has a 87-32 career record, two NCAA Tournament appearances under his belt and a pair of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament and regular-season titles.
The 2003 MAAC Coach of the Year, Calkins had one of the most successful seasons in the program’s history in 2003. The Purple Eagles posted a school-record 19 victories, won the MAAC regular season and tournament titles, played in the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament and won their second Little Three and Big Four titles.
In 2004 and 2003, Niagara won the regular-season titles and posted back-to-back perfect MAAC records with marks of 7-0 and 9-0.
Calkins’ success is due in large part to his outstanding recruiting, especially on the international level. Calkins recruited the last three MAAC Players of the Year in Mariam Al-Shikarchy (2005) and Milena Matijevic (2004 & 2003). Matijevic was a three-time MAAC Female Student-Athlete of the Year, and Al-Shikarchy won in 2005.
Calkins is committed to his athletes’ success in the classroom and in the past six years he has had five student-athletes named CoSIDA Academic All-District and two All-Americans. In addition, 15 student-athletes in the past six years have been named to the MAAC Academic Team.
He is certified by the U.S. Professional Tennis Registry, a United States Tennis Association (USTA) National clinician and head administrator for the USTA Western New York junior area training center. He has completed the Tennis University Programs Levels I, II and III and is wheelchair certified.
Prior to taking over the Niagara program, Calkins was the assistant men’s and women’s coach at the University at Buffalo for six years.
Calkins is president of Calkins Lumber Company, Inc., and resides in Sanborn, N.Y. with his wife, Eileen.
