Toby Hansson
2010 ITA Southern Region Assistant Coach of the Year
Following an outstanding playing career and a highly-successful eight-year tenure as an assistant and associate head coach to Ole Miss men's tennis hall of fame coach Billy Chadwick, Toby Hansson takes over as the seventh head coach in program history.
Hansson was tapped by athletics director Ross Bjork to replace Chadwick when the latter announced he would retire at the end of the 2014 season.
"Since I arrived at Ole Miss, I have been thoroughly impressed with Coach Hansson's leadership skills and his readiness to be a head coach at the highest level," said Bjork upon naming Hansson the next head coach. "Continuity of our successful men's tennis program was very important when Billy approached us about his retirement. We are confident Toby will continue the positive momentum in our men's tennis program and lead it well into the future."
During his eight years alongside Chadwick, Hansson helped the Rebels maintain their tradition of excellence on and off the court and brought in top-notch talent to the program, including one of the nation's top classes for the 2014-15 year.
"It's been a privilege to work with such a terrific coach, mentor and individual for the past eight years," Hansson said. "Coach Chadwick's three-decade record reflects his expertise as a coach, but he was much more than that to our team. Coach took a personal interest in each and every player in his program, and the outcome was a team that felt more like a family. It has been an honor to work alongside him, and I feel very fortunate to have learned from the best in the sport.
"I am grateful to Ross Bjork and Lynnette Johnson for giving me the opportunity to lead the program and continue the tradition of success."
In Hansson's eight seasons with the program as an assistant and most recently associate head coach, the Rebels finished among the nation's top 10 four times and the top 15 five times. During that span, the Rebels produced the most All-Americans in the country with 11, including the most in the country in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2012.
Hansson played a major role in recruiting as an assistant, including landing 2014 SEC Player of the Year Nik Scholtz, who became the fourth Rebel to earn the honor and the first to be named SEC Freshman and Player of the Year during his career.
Scholtz helped lead the team to their 21st consecutive NCAA appearance in 2014 as the Rebels advanced to the regional final. He became the fifth three-time All-American in the history of the program, reaching the round of 16 at the NCAA Singles Championship and ending the year as the highest ranked singles player in the SEC at No. 14. Scholtz became the third Rebel ever to post a final national ranking in the top 20 three straight years. In addition to the on-court success, senior Johan Backstrom earned Capital One Academic All-America honors, making Ole Miss the only Division I school in the nation to boast an All-American and an Academic All-American in men's tennis.
Ole Miss returned to the top 10 in 2013 and made its 20th consecutive NCAA appearance, hosting the first and second rounds for the 11th time. Individual achievements included two-time All-Americans Nik Scholtz and Jonas Lutjen becoming the seventh Rebel duo to reach the NCAA Final Four in doubles. Ole Miss was one of just two schools to have multiple All-Americans in both singles and doubles. Scholtz and Lutjen were two of just six players to achieve a final top 20 ranking in singles and a top 10 ranking in doubles.
In 2012, Hansson helped coach the Rebels to their 19th straight NCAA appearance and the Sweet Sixteen for the 16th time. Nik Scholtz earned SEC Freshman of the Year honors and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals in singles, while Marcel Thiemann and Chris Thiemann reached the Final Four in doubles. All three were joined on the All-America team by Jonas Lutjen, as the Rebels led the nation with four All-Americans.
In 2011, Hansson helped the Rebels earn their 18th NCAA appearance. Marcel Thiemann advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for the second straight year and teamed with his brother, Chris, to end the year ranked No. 11 in doubles.
Hansson helped coach Ole Miss to its ninth consecutive SEC West title and 17th NCAA appearance in 2010. Marcel Thiemann advanced to the NCAA singles quarterfinals and became the 25th All-American in the history of the program. Hansson coached Marcel and his brother, Chris, to a top 10 national doubles ranking and a 10-1 record in the SEC at No. 1. For his achievements, Hansson was honored as the ITA Southern Region Assistant Coach of the Year.
In 2009, Hansson helped direct the Rebels to the SEC regular season championship, their second consecutive SEC Tournament Championship and their eighth straight SEC West title. The Rebels ended the year ranked No. 4 in the nation. A finalist for the ITA Southeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year, Hansson coached NCAA Singles Champion Devin Britton, and Jonas Berg and Bram ten Berge, who spent 14 weeks at No. 1 in the nation.
In his second season (2008), Hansson helped guide the Rebels to the SEC West title, the SEC Tournament Championship, the NCAA Elite Eight and a final national ranking of No. 6.
Hansson helped coach four Rebels to All-America honors and five players to All-SEC honors. He coached Erling Tveit and Jonas Berg, who advanced to the NCAA Doubles Championship Final as well as Semifinalists Bram ten Berge and Matthias Wellermann.
In his first season with the Rebels (2007), Hansson helped guide the team to the SEC West title, the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and a final national ranking of No. 7. He helped coach three players to All-America honors and four to All-SEC accolades.
Hansson, a native of Bjärred, Sweden, was an assistant coach at Texas Tech in 2004-05, where he helped lead the Red Raiders to the NCAA Final 16 and their best season ever. The team finished with a 25-4 record, and was ranked as high as No. 9 in the country at one point during the year.
Prior to his stint at Texas Tech, Hansson played professionally on the ATP Tour in Europe, North and Central America and Asia.
One of the top collegiate players during his career at SMU, Hansson earned All-America honors in singles and doubles. As captain of the team in 2000, he was named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year and first team all-conference for both singles and doubles.
During his career, Hansson was ranked as high as No. 2 in the country in doubles and No. 13 in singles for the Mustangs. He led the Mustangs to two WAC championships, three consecutive NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances and two top-15 national finishes.
Hansson graduated from SMU in 2000 with a B.A. in International Studies. He received his masters in International Studies from Uppsala University in Uppsala, Sweden, in June of 2006.
REBEL HIGHLIGHTS DURING HIS TENURE AS AN ASSISTANT
2007
•Team NCAA Sweet Sixteen
•SEC West Champion
•Final National Ranking: No. 7
•Three All-Americans
•Four All-SEC Honorees
•ITA All-Academic Team
2008
•Team NCAA Elite Eight
•SEC Tournament Champion
•SEC West Champion
•Final National Ranking: No. 6
•Four All-Americans
•Five All-SEC Honorees
•NCAA Doubles Finalist
•Two NCAA Doubles Semifinalists
•ITA All-Academic Team
2009
•Team NCAA Elite Eight
•SEC Overall Championship
•SEC Tournament Champion
•SEC West Champion
•Final National Ranking: No. 4
•NCAA Singles Champion
•Three All-Americans
•Five All-SEC Honorees
2010
•Team NCAA Second Round
•SEC West Champion
•NCAA Singles Quarterfinalist
•Two All-SEC Honorees
•ITA Southern Region
Assistant Coach of the Year
2011
•Team NCAA Second Round
•NCAA Singles Quarterfinalist
•Two All-SEC Honorees
•ITA All-Academic Team
2012
•Team NCAA Sweet Sixteen
•Final National Ranking: No. 14
•NCAA Singles Quarterfinalist
•NCAA Doubles Semifinalist
•Four All-Americans
•SEC Freshman of the Year
•Three All-SEC Honorees
•ITA All-Academic Team
2013
•Team NCAA Second Round
•Final National Ranking: No. 10
•SEC West Champion
•NCAA Doubles Semifinalist
•Two All-Americans
•Three All-SEC Honorees
•ITA All-Academic Team
2014
•SEC Player of the Year
•Team NCAA Second Round
• All-American
•Highest ranked singles player in the SEC
•Academic All-American
•ITA All-Academic Team
