Source: OhioStateBuckeyes.com
Posted: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 4:56:00 PM EST
Published: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 4:57:44 PM EST
Posted: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 4:56:00 PM EST
Published: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 4:57:44 PM EST
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ty Tucker, Ohio State men's tennis head coach, announced Tuesday the hiring of Jim Laitta as the Buckeyes' assistant coach. Laitta joins Ohio State after 19 years of head coaching experience of the men's and women's programs at Maryland.
"We are very excited to have Jim Laitta join the program," Tucker said. "He brings a wealth of experience from his 19 years of head coaching at the University of Maryland."
In his nearly two decades with the Terrapins, Laitta served as the head coach for both the men's and women's tennis teams. As the head coach for the women's program from 1990-2001, Laitta coached the squad to its first NCAA appearance in 1996. Laitta later was named Atlantic Coast Conference and ITA East Region Coach of the Year at the end of the season. Maryland followed that unprecedented season with trips to the NCAA tournament in 1998 and 1999. He also mentored the No. 1 doubles teams to NCAA showings in 1998 and 1999, while in 1999 guided the No. 1 singles player in All-ACC honoree Meg Griffin to the national event.
Beginning in 2001, Laitta began working exclusively with the men's team and coached All-Americans Andy Orban and Boris Fetbroyt. The program was the recipient of the President's Cup Award, which goes to the squad that has the highest grade point average among Maryland's male sports teams in 2002, '03, '05 and '07.
Prior to joining Maryland, Laitta was the women's head coach at Mississippi State from 1988-1990. In his second season, he coached the Bulldogs' doubles team of Claire Pollard and Jackie Holden to the 1989 NCAA title.
Laitta is a lifetime member of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and a member of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Eastern Kentucky in 1988.
"We are very excited to have Jim Laitta join the program," Tucker said. "He brings a wealth of experience from his 19 years of head coaching at the University of Maryland."
In his nearly two decades with the Terrapins, Laitta served as the head coach for both the men's and women's tennis teams. As the head coach for the women's program from 1990-2001, Laitta coached the squad to its first NCAA appearance in 1996. Laitta later was named Atlantic Coast Conference and ITA East Region Coach of the Year at the end of the season. Maryland followed that unprecedented season with trips to the NCAA tournament in 1998 and 1999. He also mentored the No. 1 doubles teams to NCAA showings in 1998 and 1999, while in 1999 guided the No. 1 singles player in All-ACC honoree Meg Griffin to the national event.
Beginning in 2001, Laitta began working exclusively with the men's team and coached All-Americans Andy Orban and Boris Fetbroyt. The program was the recipient of the President's Cup Award, which goes to the squad that has the highest grade point average among Maryland's male sports teams in 2002, '03, '05 and '07.
Prior to joining Maryland, Laitta was the women's head coach at Mississippi State from 1988-1990. In his second season, he coached the Bulldogs' doubles team of Claire Pollard and Jackie Holden to the 1989 NCAA title.
Laitta is a lifetime member of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and a member of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from Eastern Kentucky in 1988.
