TicketsSept. 30, 2008
CINCINNATI -
University of Cincinnati Director of Athletics Mike Thomas announced today Angela (Farley) Wilson has been named the head coach of the women's tennis program.
"Angela is a great addition to our University," said Thomas. "We are very fortunate to have found someone with excellent experience as a college player and teaching pro who is also a Cincinnati native and is tied into the Cincinnati tennis community."
Wilson joins UC after spending the last four years at the Western Tennis and Fitness Club in Western Hills. Wilson started in the family-owned club in 2004 as the Director of Tennis and was named Director of Operations and Tennis in January of 2006. In her tenure at Western, she has directed the overall operations while being heavily involved in the elite junior development program, which has turned out several college players.
"Having grown up in Cincinnati and been a part of its tennis community, I am excited to have been given the opportunity to coach the University of Cincinnati tennis program," said Wilson. "With the athletes we already have on the team and the pool we have to draw from in the Tri-state, we will continue to grow this program into a BIG EAST contender."
Wilson brings a wealth of experience to the Bearcats having played and coached throughout her life. Prior to the Western Tennis and Fitness Club, she was the Director of Junior Tennis for two years in Crestview, Ky., at the Five Seasons Sports Club, creating junior programs for varying levels, including nationally-ranked junior players. Her experience coaching with nationally-renowned college players goes back to 1991 when she was an assistant coach for the United States Tennis Association (USTA) at the 1991 World University Games.
Over the last four years she has spent a great deal of her time helping grow the sport of tennis in Cincinnati as a USTA training center coach, starting in 2005 when she launched the Greater Cincinnati Tennis Association (GCTA) 10 and Under Training Center.
A well respected coach, Wilson is able to draw on a wealth of playing experience which started as a high school player at Indian Hill High school in Cincinnati. At Indian Hill, Wilson was a nationally-ranked junior player at both the 16 and under and 18 and under levels. After earning an Ohio High School double championship in 1981 and making it to the singles finals in 1982, Wilson went on to a four-year career at Indiana University (1983-87). In her four years in Bloomington, she was twice named team captain and was a part of two Big Ten titles (1984, 1987). In 1987, Wilson was named first-team all-Big Ten as she helped the Hoosiers to their second NCAA Tournament appearance.
Wilson's playing career extends beyond her college career as she has captured six Cincinnati Metropolitan Tennis Championship titles overall and five since 2003, including last year's women's doubles title. In 2006, she was named the Greater Cincinnati Tennis Association's Player of the Year and winner of the Carol Brestel Award for volunteering and promoting junior tennis in the Cincinnati area.
A 1987 graduate of Indiana University with a degree in accounting, Wilson lives in Cincinnati with her husband, Webster, and their four children.
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