Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach
Simon Earnshaw

Simon Earnshaw begins his ninth year as head coach of the highly successful Armstrong Atlantic State University tennis programs.

Under Earnshaw, the AASU women's tennis team has enjoyed unparalleled success over the last four seasons. The Lady Pirates have won 117 of 120 matches played in this stretch and, in 2005, capped an undefeated 30-0 season by winning the 2005 NCAA Division II Women's Tennis National Championship, the third National Championship in the school's history. AASU has also not lost a home match in Savannah since 2003, a span of 50 consecutive matches. <The Earnshaw Ledger>

For the second straight year, the Lady Pirates featured the top-ranked singles and doubles players in the nation - junior Iuliia Stupak went undefeated in singles play en route to the top singles ranking while teaming with senior Dzyiana Nazaruk to earn the top doubles ranking. AASU finished the year with a 29-1 overall record and a No. 2 national ranking, falling to BYU-Hawaii in the NCAA semifinals on the same day in which they knocked off Valdosta State in the quarterfinals.

During the 2005 season, Earnshaw led the women's tennis team to their third NCAA Championship, knocking off BYU-Hawaii, 5-3, ending the Seasiders' 130-match win streak. Earnshaw also led the men's team to their best NCAA finish ever, reaching the semifinals at the NCAA Championships, as well as their highest ITA ranking ever as they finished the 2005 season as the No. 2-ranked club in the nation.

Earnshaw succeeded Andreas Koth as the Pirates' head coach in 1999-2000 and has led the AASU women to six PBC Championships and six NCAA Quarterfinal appearances with three national championship match appearances. His women's players have earned 38 ITA All-America honors in eight seasons and he coached the 2004 NCAA/ITA Division II Senior of the Year, Zsofi Golopencza, and the 2006 NCAA/ITA Division II Senior of the Year, Luisa Cowper. AASU has also featured the last three ITA National Players to Watch - Cowper in 2004, Dziyana Nazaruk in 2005 and Iuliia Stupak in 2006. He also coached the 2000 NCAA/ITA Division II Rookie of the Year in Stephanie Kovacic and the 2001 NCAA/ITA Division II Rookie of the Year [Golopencza].

He added a second ITA National Women's Coach of the Year award in 2006, in addition to his 2004 award, and Earnshaw has three been named the ITA Mid-Atlantic Region Women's Coach of the Year and four times earned the Peach Belt Conference Women's Tennis Coach of the Year award.

As head coach of the men's squad, Earnshaw has directed the Pirates to a program-best No. 2 ranking each of the last three seasons. AASU has captured the last three PBC Championships in 2005-2007, as well as winning the title in 2000, and made eight trips to the NCAA Championships. He was named the ITA Mid-Atlantic Region Men's Coach of the Year in 2005 and his men's players have earned 12 ITA All-America honors in seven seasons, including Davor Zink, the 2006 ITA National "Player To Watch."

Both Pirate tennis teams have also maintained a high level of excellence in the classroom, earning ITA All-Academic Team honors from 2004 to 2006, along with numerous ITA Scholar-Athlete awards. The 2006 women's team had an unprecedented all eight members earn ITA Scholar-Athlete honors. Both the AASU men's and women's tennis programs have also advanced to the NCAA Championships for 13 straight years.

Earnshaw served as the Pirates' assistant coach in 1998-99 and was previously an assistant coach at Georgia College & State University for two seasons.

At GC&SU, Earnshaw helped coach the women's team to consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship appearances. Both the men's and women's teams were ranked in the Top 15 during his two seasons in Milledgeville and seven players earned All-America status.

Earnshaw competed for GC&SU from 1992-1996 and helped the Bobcats to four seasons in the Top 10 of the ITA Division II National Rankings. He received his Bachelor's of Science degree in chemistry in 1996 and completed his Master's of Education in health and physical education in 1998.

In his native England, Simon is a Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) qualified coach at the national level. He also worked extensively for the Nick Bolletieri Sport Academy during the summer months of 1993 to 1998.

Simon and his wife, Nichole, have two daughters, Abigail (7) and Ella (5), as a son, Luke (3). The family resides in Savannah.