San Diego Athletics

Sherri Stephens, who built a rich tradition of success within the USD women's tennis program, retired following the 2021-22 season after 38 years as head coach. She led the Toreros to 444 wins, 14 NCAA Tournaments and a WCC championship in 2012. Stephens is top-50 in career wins in women's college tennis history.

Stephens arrived at USD in the fall of 1984 - a few years after the program transitioned to Division I - and has built USD women's tennis into a consistent contender at the conference level. The four-time WCC Coach of the Year not only guided the Toreros to their first conference title in 2012, but they have accumulated 31 top-three finishes in the 54 years of WCC women's tennis under Stephens, including 19 second-place finishes. The league began official play in Stephens' second year on the job in 1986.

On top of the conference success, Stephens and USD have made a statement on the national stage throughout her tenure as well. After making the program's first appearance in 1989, the Toreros reached the NCAA Tournament in four straight years from 1989 to 1992, eight times in the 1990s, and a total of three times since 2011 (last: 2021). They have also finished in the nation's top-25 rankings eight times total and in the top-40 in each of the last two seasons in 2019 and 2020.

In addition to team success, Stephens has tutored six Toreros to earn a total of 13 All-American honors: Tonya Fuller (1991), Laura Richards (1992, 1993), Julie McKeon (1992, 1993, 1994),  Zuzana Lesenarova (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000), Katarina Valkyova (1999, 2000), and most recently Solymar Colling (2019).

Lesenarova, a member of the USD Athletics Hall of Fame and WCC Hall of Honors, became the greatest Torero tennis player under Stephens' watch. The four-time All-American won the 1999 NCAA Singles Championship - holding a No. 1 ranking all spring and winning three of four ITA Grand Slam events - while also achieving a No. 1 national ranking in doubles in 2000.

Stephens has been recognized as the top of the class of WCC coaches four times, and after winning her first career honor in 2004, she won the award in back-to-back years in 2011 and 2012. In 2011, Stephens led the Toreros to 19 wins - second-most in program history - and reached the NCAA Tournament after an 11-year hiatus. That year, USD reached the second round of the national tournament, which matches the program's best finish. A year later in 2012, Stephens took the Toreros to the top of the WCC table - after 18 runner-up finishes - and won the program's first and only conference championship.

Well-respected among her peers in the coaching profession, Stephens has been a featured speaker at several ITA Coaches' Conventions. Twice she has had the privilege of coaching at the Olympic Sports Festival (1993/South, 1995/West), with her 1995 squad winning the gold medal. She was named the 1994 Female Coach of the Year by the USTA, Southern California Section/San Diego District. Sherri has been involved with numerous administrative positions within collegiate tennis such as: the NCAA Ranking Committee, the NCAA Rules Committee, and Tournament Chairman for the All-American National Championships. She also runs summer camps every year.

Stephens is a native of Phoenix, Arizona, and was a nationally ranked player on the junior circuit before enrolling at the University of Arizona. After completing her collegiate playing career in 1979, she began her coaching career as an assistant for Arizona.

Sherri Stephens' USD Coaching Record