HUNTINGDON, Pa.- Juniata Athletics has named Sam Varner as the head coach of its men's and women's tennis programs. Varner will begin his duties on September 1.
"We are very excited to have Sam lead our tennis program," said athletic director Greg Curley. "After an extensive national search, he emerged as our clear choice because of his strong tennis background and his commitment to developing the true student-athlete. We have a great deal of confidence in Sam and look forward to building up the recent success of both our men's and women's programs."
Varner comes to Huntingdon from Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Va. where he was an assistant coach for the past two seasons. While there, the men's team qualified for the ODAC (Old Dominion Athletic Conference) semifinals for the first time in program history this past season and the women advanced to the ODAC Championship for the first time. The women's team achieved regional rankings by both the ITA and the NCAA.
"It is a privilege and an honor to be named Head Coach at Juniata College, said Varner. "It's a terrific school with a proud academic history to go along with successful athletic programs. More specifically, the tennis programs have been strong in years past and with the brand new facility, I know we can continue to compete for conference championships in the future. I would like to thank Greg Curley for providing this opportunity and entrusting me to lead the Juniata College men's and women's tennis programs."
Prior to arriving at RM-C, Varner was a head and assistant coach at Bridgewater College. As a head coach, the men achieved a regional ranking of #17.
Varner earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from Randolph Macon in 2009. He was a two-time captain for the Yellowjackets as a player and registered the most individual victories between 2006 and 2009.
"I look to bring a hard working attitude and determination on the court and off the court," added Varner. "A team first approach where we win and lose as a team. Ultimately, I want to create an environment where we have well rounded student-athletes and I believe this is achieved through hard work."
