Former volunteer assistant coach promoted.
University of Memphis Team Page
Chris Doerr has been hired as the assistant coach for the University of Memphis men's tennis team it was announced by head coach Paul Goebel, Tuesday.
"Chris was a big part of everything we accomplished last season," Head Coach Paul Goebel said. "He has played high level college tennis and understands what it takes to compete at the elite level we are trying to elevate to. He relates well to our players and understands the challenges they face in competing at this level. He will also be a big asset for us in international recruiting since he knows everything recruits are considering when deciding to come to the United States to play college tennis. He had other opportunities after spending last season with us as a volunteer assistant coach, and we are excited to have an opportunity to keep Chris here in Memphis with the Tigers."
Doerr spent the past season with the Tigers as a volunteer assistant coach, helping Memphis finish as the No. 20 ranked men's tennis team in the country in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) season-ending rankings, the highest-ever ranking for a Tiger men's tennis team. With Doerr's assistance, Memphis captured its first-ever Conference USA championship in 2013 and garnered nine post-season honors, including sophomore Connor Glennon's Player of the Year Award, Goebel's coach of the year award and with the doubles team of Joe Salisbury and David O'Hare finishing on a nine-match winning streak and ending the year as the No. 39 ranked doubles team in the country.
Doerr was a four-year letterwinner at Mississippi State, graduating in 2010 with a degree in communications. An SEC Player of the Week honoree in his junior season, he also served as a volunteer assistant coach at Mississippi State for the 2010-11 season before joining the Memphis staff last season. Hailing from Bromley, England, Doerr ranked as high as number 11 in the English National Rankings and as high as #480 in the ITF rankings. Back in England, he was a member of the State Championship Team for four years and was a state champion in singles and doubles, winning a divisional title as the captain for the state team.
"I am delighted to be able to work with Paul and the boys," Doerr said. "This past year has been great and to keep my future at Memphis with the Tigers is a true blessing. It's not going to be easy to fill Mark (Finnegan's) shoes. He did an incredible job, but I will work as hard as I can, continue to learn from Paul, and am so excited to get going and hopefully continue the path of success that the tennis team is on right now."
He and his wife, Rachel McLemore Doerr, reside in Memphis. He replaces former associate coach and Tiger alum Mark Finnegan, who was named the head coach at North Florida earlier this month.
