Rod Ray is entering his eighth campaign as Wofford’s head men’s and women's tennis coach. Since taking the helm of the Wofford program, Ray has seen success that promises continual growth in the coming years.
This past season, the men’s tennis program was one of only four Wofford athletic teams to earn initial Academic Progress Report (APR) recognition from the NCAA for outstanding academic achievement. It marked the second-straight season in which the Terriers were recognized. The men's program also received the APR accolades in 2007.
The men’s team registered a 5-4 Southern Conference ledger for the second-straight season in earning a bye in the SoCon Tournament. The Terriers have set a school record for conference wins in each of the past three seasons.
In addition, Ray has coached current senior Andrew Stubbs to three straight All-Southern Conference accolades. Stubbs is the first Terrier men’s player to earn league honors more than once. He has a chance to join former women’s player, Ellen Rogers ’06, as the only Wofford tennis players in school history to receive All-SoCon honors all four years.
Ray also oversaw the development of George Kernodle in 2006-07. Kernodle played his rookie campaign exclusively at the No. 2 singles slot and was rewarded at the end of the season by being named the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year. Classmate Christopher Williams concluded the regular season with a league player of the week honor.
Ray has put his stamp on the recruiting world the last two seasons, as well. The last two freshmen men's classes, including the 2007-08 group, has been ranked at No. 24 in the Mid-Major category by the website tennisrecruiting.net.
Ray came to Wofford from the Topspin Racquet and Swim Club in Lexington, S.C., where he served as the tennis director for nearly 10 years.
He has been a prominent fixture in tennis in South Carolina. He has served as coach of the South Carolina Junior Davis/Federation Cup Team, USTA Junior Player Development Program, Zonal Coach and as president of the South Carolina Tennis Professional Association. In 1998, Ray was named South Carolina Tennis Association Professional of the Year. Certified by the USPTA, he has obtained a Professional 1 rating.
Each summer he runs the Rod Ray Tennis Camp at Wofford, bringing in youth from across the Southeast.
Ray earned a bachelor of science degree in political science from East Tennessee State in 1987, where he played on the Buccaneer tennis team in 1984 and 1985.
He and his wife, Merritt, have two sons, Cole and Ashe.
This past season, the women’s tennis program was one of only four Wofford athletic teams to earn initial Academic Progress Report (APR) recognition from the NCAA for outstanding academic achievement. It marked the second-straight season in which the Terriers were recognized. The women's program also received the APR accolades in 2007.
The women’s team attained its most wins since turning Division I with 13 in 2006 on its way to receiving a bye at the Southern Conference Tournament. The Terriers also won a program-high five-in-a-row early in the 2006 spring season.
Last spring, sophomore transfer Merry Ellen Henry received All-Southern Conference accolades after playing much of the year as the Terriers’ No. 1 singles starter.
He has coached four different players to All-Southern Conference honors throughout his tenure, including Ellen Rogers ’06 who became the first tennis player in school history, male or female, to earn all-league accolades four times.
Rogers also won conference player of the week twice, the TIAA-CREF SoCon Student-Athlete of the Week once and was nominated for the 2005 Boy Scouts of America/Atlanta Area Council Peach of an Athlete Role Model Award.
The league has recognized at least one Terrier on its all-conference squad each season since the 2002 campaign. Wendy Rohr ’04 was a three-time selection in addition to receiving SoCon Player of the Week honors three times throughout her career.
