Thursday, 06/14/2012

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Director of Athletics Mal Moore announced Wednesday that George Husack has been hired as the head men’s tennis coach at the University of Alabama. Husack joins the Crimson Tide after having spent the last three seasons as associate head coach for the four-time defending national champion University of Southern California Trojans.

“I am very pleased and proud to announce the hiring of George Husack as our new men's tennis head coach,” said Moore. “Coach Husack brings a strong background of championship experience with him to this position, and we are excited to welcome him to the Alabama athletics family.”

Husack, the 2012 Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Assistant Coach of the Year, was responsible for coaching, player development and recruiting throughout his tenure with the Trojans. In addition, he helped train and motivate one of the most decorated players in collegiate tennis, Steve Johnson, to back-to-back NCAA Singles Championships and 72 consecutive singles victories. As a team, the Trojans compiled an 85-6 overall record over the last three seasons and had four individuals earn a combined 10 All-America honors under his watch.

“I'm ecstatic and extremely grateful for the opportunity afforded to me by Coach Moore and the University of Alabama,” said Husack. “I was thoroughly impressed by so many things during the interview process including the staff, facilities, success, commitment and character of the athletic department, University and Tuscaloosa community. The passion and pride for the Crimson Tide is unimaginable. I can’t wait to get started.”

Prior to his appointment at USC, Husack spent two seasons as associate head coach at Illinois after having been the head coach at Santa Clara for five years.

While at Illinois, Husack helped the Illini to two straight trips to the NCAA Round of 16 while coaching student-athletes that attained top-10 rankings nationally in both singles and doubles. As with USC, his primary responsibilities included player development and recruiting.

Husack assumed the reins of head coach at Santa Clara in 2002 after having served as an assistant since 1995. Throughout his tenure as head coach, he built a program that reached many milestones including the highest national singles and doubles rankings in school history, a program record for most team wins in a single season as the Broncos went 20-8 in 2007, 19 All-West Coast Conference singles and doubles selections and 14 All-WCC All-Academic and ITA Scholar-Athlete honorees.

Husack, no stranger to the court himself, spent two seasons competing professionally on the International Tennis Federation and United States Tennis Association Tours.

In addition to his professional experiences in tennis, Husack also spent time in the business sector, serving as a plan specialist for Franklin Mutual Fund, an operations analyst for Wells Fargo and Director of Marketing and Corporate Partnerships in athletics at Santa Clara.

A native of San Mateo, Calif., Husack earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from San Diego State in 1991, while later attaining an MBA in marketing from the University of San Francisco in 1995. As a member of the San Diego State men’s tennis team, he served as team captain as a senior and helped the Aztecs to their first top-25 national ranking.

Husack and his wife Kristina have three children: Nina (3) and twins Grant and Greta (2).

- UA -