Men's Tennis
Hayes, Eric
Eric Hayes
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- hayes_ea@mercer.edu
- Phone:
- (478) 301-2269
Eric Hayes was named the head coach of the Mercer men’s and women’s tennis programs on June 27, 2013.
Collegiate Coaching Experience
- June 2013-Present – Mercer University
- Head Coach
- 2002-13 – Troy University
- Head Coach
- 1996-02 – North Carolina State University
- Head Coach
- 1989-92 – University of South Florida
- Head Coach
- 1988-89 – University of Kansas
- Head Coach
- Fall 1986-88 – Clemson University
- M/W Assistant Coach
2023
- Women's All-Southern Conference Singles First Team: Teodora Ristic, Mary Weston Courville
- Women's All-Southern Conference Doubles First Team: Teodora Ristic/Mary Weston Courville
- Women's Southern Conference All-Freshman Team: Marina de Diego Quinones
- Men's All-Southern Conference Singles Second Team: Lucas Dini, Marceau Fouilhoux, Samuel MacLeod
- Men's All-Southern Conference Doubles Second Team: Marceau Fouilhoux/Nemanja Stefanovic
- Men's Southern Conference All-Freshman Team: Nemanja Stefanovic
- Ristic and Courville were the first Mercer women's pair to be named to the All-SoCon Doubles First Team
- De Diego Quinones was the first SoCon All-Freshman Team winner for Mercer women's tennis
- Led men's team to 5-2 record in conference play, the best since 2018
- Men's team earned the No. 2 seed in the SoCon Tournament, the highest since 2018
- Led women's team to 13-10 overall record and 4-3 conference record, the best since 2017
- Women's team earned the No. 4 seed in the SoCon Tournament, the highest since 2017
- Mary Weston Courville and Kristin Yordanova were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team
- Samuel Barrow and Samuel MacLeod were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team
- All-Southern Conference Second Team (Doubles): Naya Tillitt/Mary Courville
- Helped three men's players in singles (Samuel Barrow, David Georgadze, Samuel Macleod) and two doubles pairs (Lucas Wayenburg/David Georgadze & Samuel Barros/Andrew Branicki) to winning records.
- Guided three women's players in singles (Mary Courville, Naya Tillitt, and Kristin Yordanova) and three doubles pairs (Kristin Yordanova/Lekha Varudandi & Francesca Franchi/Lauren Rich & Mary Courville/Naya Tillitt) to winning records.
- Mary Courville posted an impressive 7-4 on court one as part of a 10-7 overall record.
- Men were named an ITA All-Academic Team. Samuel Barrow, David Georgadze, Alexandr Koliev, and Daniel Krashin were named ITA Scholar Athletes.
- Women were named an ITA All-Academic Team. Mary Courville, Alara Hollyfield, Ashley Popham, Lauren Rich, Lekha Varudandi, and Kristin Yordanova were named ITA Scholar Athletes.
- All-Southern Conference Freshman Team: Mary Courville
- All-Southern Conference Second Team (Singles): Lucas Wayenburg
- All-Southern Conference Second Team (Doubles): Hugo Lobo/Lucas Wayenburg
- Coached two men's players to winning records in singles (Michael Durham, David Georgadze).
- Guided senior Hugo Lobo to a ranked win over No. 63 Dimitri Badra of ETSU in straight-sets.
- Saw doubles pair Samuel Barrow and Michael Durham finish 10-6 with a six-match winning streak to end the season.
- Helped Mary Courville to an 11-5 overall record in singles and 9-7 record in doubles.
- Men were named an ITA All-Academic Team. Carver Arant, Samuel Barrow, Lucas Wayenburg, Daniel Krashnin, and Samuel Macleod were named ITA Scholar Athletes.
- Women were named an ITA All-Academic Team. France Antezana, Ericka Chavarria, Mary Courvilla, Alara Hollyfield, Ashley Popham, Lauren Rich, and Maeva Roquebert were named ITA Scholar Athletes.
- Guided senior Olivier Stuart to a ranked win over No. 22 Gabriel Decamps of UCF. Stuart was ranked as high as 46th during the season.
- Coached doubles pair Olivier Stuart and Hugo Lobo to a ranked win over No. 47 Murphy McCollough and Santiago Suarez of Georgia Southern.
- Helped Alara Hollyfield to a 7-5 singles record, with a solid 6-4 showing on court two. Her only loss on court one came against No. 52 Martina Okalova of Tulsa.
- Mentored SoCon Men's Tennis Player of the Year, Olivier Stuart, who went 19-5 (7-0 SoCon)
- Stuart became first player in program history to finish season in ITA national rankings (No. 115)
- Hayes coached four total all-conference players on men's & women's teams (Stuart, Nicolas Guillon, Katie Sidor & David Georgadze)
- Women's team won 13 regular season matches, tying its most during Hayes' tenure
- Named SoCon Men’s Coach of the Year
- Led men to 16-7 overall record and 5-1 SoCon mark to earn #2 seed in conference tourney
- Two players – Sam Philp and Olivier Stuart – earned All-SoCon Singles and Doubles First Team honors
- Fernando Guardia was selected to the Singles Second Team
- Men’s team earned first national postseason ranking in program history, earning the No. 10 ranking in the region in the Oracle/ITASoutheast rankings
- Philp became the first Bear to be ranked in the postseason (#20 in the region)
- Stuart became the first men’s player to compete in the prestigious Oracle/ITAMasters
- Stuart led the SoCon in singles winning percentage (.786) at the #2 singles position
- The men’s and women’s teams were recognized by the ITA for their outstanding academic achievement
- Eight women and seven men were named to the ITA Scholar-Athlete squad
- The women finished with an overall mark of 10-11 and 3-3 conference record
- Katie Sidor was named to the SoCon Singles First Team after leading the conference in singles winning percentage (.778)
- Sidor and Grace Korta were named to the Doubles Second Team at the #1 position
- Guided men’s & women’s teams to their most successful seasons in recent memory
- Men finished 22-5 (5-2 SoCon) & were runner-ups at SoCon Championships
- Women went 14-9 (4-3 SoCon) en route to setting program records with a third-place regular season finish & semifinal finish at SoCon Championships
- Led men’s team to 20-match win streak from Feb. 1 to March 19
- Mentored Katia Stavroulaki to No. 19 ITA Southeast Regional singles ranking, marking the program’s first player to earn a regional ranking
- Five M/W players earned All-SoCon honors
- Olivier Stuart (SoCon Men’s Freshman of the Year)
- Katia Stavroulaki (All-SoCon First Team, women’s singles)
- Sam Philp (All-SoCon First Team, men’s singles)
- Nicolas Guillon (All-SoCon Second Team, men’s singles)
- Haley Powell (All-SoCon Second Team, women’s singles)
- Sam Philp/Olivier Stuart (All-SoCon Second Team, men’s doubles)
- Guided two players to All-SoCon honors
- Katia Stavroulaki (All-SoCon First Team, women’s singles)
- Fernando Guardia (All-SoCon Second Team, men’s singles)
- Men went 10-16 (4-3 SoCon)
- Women went 9-14 (1-6 SoCon)
2015
- Transitioned both men’s & women’s programs into first season as members of the Southern Conference
- Both men’s & women’s teams earned ITA All-Academic Team honors
- Six players honored with ITA Scholar-Athlete status
- Men went 12-13 (5-2 SoCon)
- Women went 4-18 (0-6 SoCon)
- Guided two men’s players to All-SoCon honors
- Arsav Mohanty (All-SoCon Second Team, men’s singles)
- Sam Philip (SoCon All-Freshman Team)
2014
- Men went 10-17 (4-5 Atlantic Sun) en route to first A-Sun Tournament appearance since 2011 campaign
- Women went 10-14 (4-4 Atlantic Sun) to earn spot in the A-Sun Tournament for the first time since 2010
- Troy University
- Named to 2010 Sun Belt Coach of the Year & ITA Southern Coach of the Year
- Named the 2004 Atlantic Sun Women’s Coach of the Year after guiding women’s team to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, an A-Sun Championship and a 14-8 overall record
- Produced NCAA Tournament teams in both men’s & women’s programs
- Led women’s program to 100-68 overall record in eight seasons as a Sun Belt member
- Led men’s program to 61 overall wins & bids to Atlantic Sun Tournament each season
- Guided men to 2010 Sun Belt Conference Championship
- Men’s team went 20-4 overall in 2010 en route to achieving highest national ranking (ITA) in program history (No. 55)
- Women won 15 straight matches in 2013, marking the nation’s longest win streak that season (17-6 overall record)
- N.C. State
- Men’s team reached No. 21 in the ITA rankings
- Guided the men to their first winning season (1999) in 11 years and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 21 years
- University of South Florida
- Men’s program went 33-31 with Hayes at the helm
- Named the 1990 Conference Coach of the Year & Region III Coach of the Year after guiding the Bulls to Metro Conference title
- University of Kansas
- Became the youngest head coach of any NCAA Division I sport at the time of his hire (23 years old)
- Led the Jayhawk women to an overall record of 27-20 over two seasons
- Mentored Eveline Hamers to NCAA Tournament Singles Individual Championship & All-America status
- Clemson University
- Was a member of a Clemson coaching staff that helped the Tigers claim the 1987 ACC Championship & the No. 2 national ranking
- Helped Clemson reach the national indoor finals with victories over Georgia, South Carolina & SMU before falling to Southern California in the championship
- 2003-Present – USTA Tournament Director (Troy, Ala. & Macon, Ga.)
- Annual Women’s Challenger Event started at $50,000 & will be at $80,000 in Fall 2017 (Oct. 22-29)
- Brought the annual tournament to Macon in fall of 2017
- Numerous Top-100 ranked professionals attend the tournament
- 1992-96 – Palmer Tennis Academy (Tampa, Fla.)
- Director of Professional Players
- Trained and traveled with athletes to Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) events
- In charge of over 20 ATP/WTA professional players (trained, scheduled & traveled with them)
- Guided Jared Palmer to winning the Wimbledon Doubles Championship
- Helped Brian Dunn achieve the No. 1 junior world ranking from International Federation (ITF)
- Carson-Newman College, 1986 (B.S., Political Science)
- 1982-86 – Carson-Newman College (Jefferson City, Tenn.)
- Four-time All-South Atlantic Conference (SAC) selection
- Earned NAIA All-America Honorable Mention as a senior (1987)
- Tim McLane | Head Women's/Men's Coach, USC-Upstate
- Rawia El Sisi | Women’s Coach, Troy
- Mike Stephens | Women’s Coach, Cornell
- Rolando Vargas | Head Men's Coach, Troy
- Shamai El Sisi | Assistant Women’s Coach, Texas
- Curt Speerscnieder | Women’s Coach, Skidmore College
- Chase Hodges | M/W Coach, Georgia Gwinnett College
- Matt Lucas | Men's Coach, North Florida
- Chris Hayes | Assistant Men's/Women's Coach, Ithica College
- Tyler Faulkner | Associate Head Women's Coach, Michigan State
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