Oxford, Mississippi

Grant Roberts has been promoted to the position of head coach of the Ole Miss women’s tennis team, following the retirement of Mark Beyers, who led the program for 24 years and became the all-time winningest coach in Ole Miss tennis history with over 300 victories. Roberts, who has been with the program since spring 2018, is anticipated to continue building on the team’s recent successes, leveraging his extensive experience and passion for recruiting.

During his tenure as an assistant coach, Roberts played a significant role in leading the team to remarkable achievements, including a historic season that marked the program’s first national champion in Arianne Hartono. His coaching techniques have helped develop athletes who excel at the national level; three players—Ludmila Kareisová, Anaëlle Leclercq-Ficher, and Lucie Petruzelova—qualified for the NCAA Individual Tournament, the most from Ole Miss since 2000.

Roberts also contributed to the development of Kareisová, who in 2023 made her second appearance in the NCAA Individual Tournament as a sophomore and earned All-SEC Second Team honors with a solid 12-7 dual singles record. Additionally, under his guidance, the Rebels made it to the first round of the NCAA Team Championships in 2021, a noteworthy accomplishment for the program.

The 2021 season saw the Rebels finish with an overall record of 11-10 and a conference record of 7-6, reaching as high as No. 19 in national rankings. The team had an impressive run in 2020, which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic but still managed a 9-5 record, highlighted by a key victory against No. 14 UCF.

In his first year with the team, Roberts helped the Rebels achieve their first 20-win season since 1999 with a record of 22-7, reaching the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. Furthermore, he was instrumental in the progress of senior Tea Jandric, who was named ITA Southern Region’s Most Improved Senior in 2019 and earned All-SEC Second Team honors.

Before joining Ole Miss, Roberts had valuable experiences that shaped his coaching skills. He served as a women’s assistant coach at the University of Colorado and as a volunteer assistant coach for the men’s tennis team at the University of Kentucky, where he graduated in 2014 with a degree in communications. As a standout player at Kentucky, Roberts learned from seasoned coaches and developed his coaching philosophy.

Mark Beyers’ Legacy

Mark Beyers’ departure marks the end of a significant era for Ole Miss women’s tennis. He amassed more than 300 wins as the head coach and guided the program to numerous high points over his 24-year career. Beyers is credited with elevating the profile of Ole Miss tennis, making it a competitive force within the Southeastern Conference.

As Roberts assumes the role of head coach, the program looks to build on the solid foundation established under Beyers. His deep understanding of the game and the ability to connect with athletes will be essential as he steps into this leadership position. With the potential to cultivate new talent and expand the team’s accomplishments further, the future of Ole Miss women’s tennis appears promising under Roberts’ guidance.