Jenny Mainz
5/3/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Jenny Mainz
Head Coach
jmainz@ia.ua.edu
(205) 348-3840
Jenny Mainz is in her 11th season as the head women's tennis coach at the University of Alabama, and in her previous nine seasons at the helm she has built Alabama into one of the top programs in the Southeastern Conference.
Her list of achievements in nine seasons continues to grow and includes the school's first and second SEC Western Division Championships in 2003 and 2006. Mainz is the only coach in Alabama history to take the Tide to six consecutive NCAA tournaments and in 2004 she led Alabama to its fourth straight winning season for the first time since 1993. Her 89?? wins at Alabama currently ranks second on the school's all-time wins list.
So what's her secret? Hard work, determination and a neversay-die attitude. No matter the circumstances, Mainz's teams never quit and lay it on the line each and every match. She has successfully instilled her personality and the one quality into her team that she believes is the most important for any athlete.
At no time in her tenure at Alabama has this strong-willed personality been more evident than during the 2004 season. That year Alabama won six of its nine matches decided by one point and over the last five seasons the Tide is 22-14 in one point matches.
"I've been fortunate to have teams that understand the importance of a team concept," Mainz said. "We're a family and we play that way by supporting each other all the time."
Of course Mainz has played a huge role in creating the family atmosphere amongst her team. On and off the court, the members of Mainz' team reap the benefits of the oneness that she promotes. On the court the winning continues as Alabama soars to new heights. But off the court and in the classroom Alabama is having success as well. In 2006 Alabama tennis finished with the highest team GPA at the University of Alabama for the fifth consecutive year and in 2004 and 2006 Ashley Bentley was named SEC co-scholar athlete of the year. The Tide's academic success is all part of Mainz' plan in teaching discipline and toughness that she believes carries over to competition.
"This team has exemplified their relentless pursuit of academic success," Mainz said. "They have been decorated with countless academic accolades and have acted as very dignified ambassadors for the University of Alabama. Their achievements are admirable."
But what else can be expected of a former GTE Academic All-American and Dean's List honoree, both honors she earned while playing collegiate tennis at the University of Houston.
MAINZ'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT ALABAMA
- Upon her arrival at the Capstone, injuries and transfers had left Alabama with only two scholarship players on roster and the Tide was in serious need of direction. Quickly Mainz began to turn things around, finishing 16-10 in 2001 with a berth to the NCAA tournament. Mainz and the Tide haven't missed the post-season since.
- With an NCAA tournament appearance in 2006, she has now taken the Crimson Tide to six consecutive NCAA tournaments. Before her arrival, Alabama had only advanced to the NCAA's twice in school history.
- After nine full seasons as Alabama's leader, she now ranks second on the school's all-time victories list with 89.
- In 2003, her team announced that they had arrived on the national scene as she led the Crimson Tide to the Southeastern Conference Western Division championship, and they became the first team in the conference to earn their second title in five years.
- Alabama has finished in the national rankings six consecutive years.
- Mainz has coached Robin Stephenson to a No. 4 national ranking, the highest individual ranking in the history of the program. She also coached the doubles duo of Stephenson and Ashley Bentley to a No. 6 national ranking, the highest doubles ranking in school history.
- Stephenson and Bentley set the school's all-time wins record for doubles while playing under Mainz guidance.
- Mainz puts extra emphasis on her team's success in the classroom. In 2005, the team finished with the University of Alabama's highest team GPA for the fifth straight year.
MAINZ'S RECORD AT ALABAMA
| Year | Record | National Finish |
| 2007 | 5-16 | N/A |
| 2006 | 11-12 | NCAA 1st Round |
| 2005 | 8-15 | NCAA 1st Round |
| 2004 | 13-11 | NCAA 1st Round |
| 2003 | 18-8 | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 2002 | 13-11 | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 2001 | 16-10 | NCAA 2nd Round |
| 2000 | 7-15 | N/A |
| 1999 | 3-18 | N/A |
| 1998 | 0-21 | N/A |
| TOTAL: | 86-137 |
