Women's Tennis
- Title:
- Head Women's Coach
- Email:
- hperez@memphis.edu
- Phone:
- 901-747-8057
Hayden Perez was named the head women’s tennis coach at the University of Memphis in July 2014.
Under his guidance, Perez has seen Memphis improve on a consistent basis since arriving in the Bluff City.
After a slow start to the 2025 season, Perez and the Tigers went on to win six of their last nine matches and claim their second AAC Championship title in four seasons after sweeping South Florida, Charlotte, Rice and Tulsa. Memphis defeated four top-50 programs, seven top-100 teams and defeated two Power 4 schools while placing three on the ITA's End of Year rankings (Leonie Moeller, Singles, #113; Sofiia Mykahilets/Alyssa Richter, Doubles, #78).
In 2024, Memphis finished 17-8, including an 11-1 record at home in its first spring season at Leftwich Tennis Center. These home homes included nearby SEC rivals Ole Miss and Mississippi State. In route to the 17 wins, the Tigers defeated six Power 5 schools, 10 top-100 teams and were 5-1 in American play. Memphis went on to rank No. 51 by ITA, the second-highest end of year ranking for the program. The Tigers made their second appearance in the AAC Championship match in three seasons, falling to top-seeded SMU.
In 2023, the Tigers got off to slow start to begin the season before catching fire down the stretch to finish 10-13 overall and 4-1 against conference opponents. Perez's squad won nine of 12 matches, including three sweeps, before falling to UCF (4-0) in the semifinals of the AAC Championship. Camila Soares was named all-conference, giving the Tigers a selection for the sixth-straight season.
In 2022, the Tigers won their first American Athletic Conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013 while finishing the season with a 20-7 record. The 20 wins were Memphis' most since winning 23 matches in 1987, and as a result, Perez was named the AAC Coach of the Year and the ITA Ohio Valley Regional Coach of the Year.
In an abbreviated 2020 spring, the Tigers went 8-5, catching a rhythm as the season progressed, winning seven of nine before the season was ended.
Memphis continued to play well in 2019, finishing with a 13-10 record, including a 6-2 home record. Laura Bente compiled a 22-10 singles record on the year, with a 15-5 dual record. The Hannover, Germany native went 13-2 at the 2 spot for the Tigers.
In 2018, the Tigers collected a 16-8 record, which were the most wins for the program since 2013. Memphis also protected its home court with a perfect 7-0 record at the Racquet Club of Memphis. The Tigers capped the 2018 campaign ranked for the first time since 2015 when Memphis checked in at No. 71 in the Oracle/ITA year-end rankings.
Individually, Perez has developed players who earned national and conference recognition. In his first season at the helm, Perez coached doubles duo Alyssa Hibberd and Anki Wind, who became the program’s first doubles team to make an NCAA Doubles Tournament appearance. Hibberd and Wind made eight appearances in the Oracle/ITA national doubles rankings throughout the 2015 season. Wind and Hanna Sohn also cracked the doubles national rankings the following fall, while Sohn and Katherine Cao were ranked on two separate occasions in 2018. In singles, Wind was ranked on two separate occasions in her career.
Wind was also selected an American Athletic Conference all-conference honoree in all four seasons she competed to become the league’s first four-time all-conference selection. After Wind’s graduation, Laura Bente would continue to represent Memphis on the AAC all-conference list, earning her sport in 2019. Perez also helped mentor AAC Player of the Week honorees in Kathryn Hughes (2015), Gabrielle Paul (2016) and Wind (2017, 2018).
Prior to Memphis, Perez was the Associate Head Coach at Texas Tech University in 2014 after eight years at Nebraska, where he also served as Associate Head Coach.
In his one season at Texas Tech, the Red Raiders advanced to the NCAA Championship for a third straight year. Three members of the 2014 Texas Tech squad were named First-Team All-Big 12.
During his eight seasons at Nebraska, Perez was named the ITA Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year three times (2007, 2010 and 2012). He helped the Huskers climb in the national rankings from 56 in 2009 to an impressive 16th to conclude the 2012 and 2013 seasons. While in Lincoln, he helped Nebraska make five NCAA appearances in eight seasons including a Sweet Sixteen showing in 2013. Nebraska captured the 2013 Big Ten regular season title in 2013. In eight seasons with the program, the Huskers went 152-58.
Perez has helped develop three All-Americans including 2013 NCAA Singles Finalist Mary Weatherholt, who was named the Big Ten Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Year.
Prior to joining the Nebraska staff, Perez spent one season (2004-05) at Florida State, where he helped guide the Seminoles to a No. 43 ITA ranking and an appearance in the NCAA Championships.
Perez also served stints at Wyoming and Air Force and was the Director of Player Development for the Intermountain Section of the United States Tennis Association in Denver, Colo., where he was responsible for all aspects of junior competition including rankings, endorsement opportunities and scheduling.
As a player, Perez earned MVP honors twice and advanced to the finals of the Midwest Region Championships in 1996 while playing for Cameron University. He ranked as high as No. 17 in singles play and earned a top-five national ranking in Men’s Open Doubles by the U.S. Tennis Association.
Perez also played at Collin County (Texas) Community College, where he helped the team to an NJCAA national team championship in 1995 when he won the doubles national title and earned All-America honors. Perez earned a No. 1 national ranking in doubles and was ranked in the top-30 in singles play at the junior college level.
Perez graduated from Cameron University in 1999 with a business administration degree. He is married to the former Gretchen McGeough and they have two sons, Tristen and Tanner.
| The Perez File |
| Coach of the Year Awards |
| 2022 - ITA Ohio Valley Region, Head Coach of the Year 2022 - American Athletic Conference, Coach of the Year 2025 - American Athletic Conference, Coach of the Year |
| ITA Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year |
| 2007 - Nebraska 2010 - Nebraska 2012 - Nebraska |
| Conference Championships |
| 2013 - Nebraska (Big Ten) 2022 - Memphis (AAC) 2025 - Memphis (AAC) |
| All-Americans |
| 2005 - Mihaela Moldovan, FSU (Singles) 2013 - Mary Weatherholt,, NU (Singles & Doubles) 2013 - Patricia Veresova, NU (Doubles) |
| Big Ten Athlete of the Year |
| 2012 - Mary Weatherholt - Nebraska 2013 - Mary Weatherholt - Nebraska |
| First-Team All-Big Ten Players |
| 2012 - Mary Weatherholt - Nebraska 2013 - Patricia Veresova - Nebraska 2013 - Mary Weatherholt - Nebraska |
| First-Team All-Big 12 Players |
| 2006 - Kim Hartmann - Nebraska 2007 - Diana Kuhl - Nebraska 2007-08 - Imke Reimers - Nebraska 2008 - Jana Albers - Nebraska 2009-10 - Mary Weatherholt - Nebraska 2009-11 - Madeleine Geibert - Nebraska 2010 - Stefanie Weinstein - Nebraska 2011 - Patricia Veresova - Nebraska 2014 - Lynn Kiro - Texas Tech 2014 - Nikki Sanders - Texas Tech 2014 - Rashmi Teltumbde - Texas Tech 2014 - Kenna Kilgo - Texas Tech 2014 - Samantha Adams - Texas Tech |
| All-American Athletic Conference Players |
| 2015, 2017-18 - Anki Wind 2019 – Laura Bente 2022 – Camila Romero, Aran Teixido Garcia 2023 - Camila Soares 2024 - Camilla Soares 2024, 2025 - Leonie Moeller 2025 - Sofiia Mykhailets |
| American Athletic Conference Postseason Awards |
| 2021 - Sophie Abrams (Freshman of the Year) 2025 - Leonie Moeller (Player of the Year) |
| ITA National Indoor Team Championship Appearances |
| 2013 - Nebraska |
| NCAA Team Appearances |
| 2005 - Florida State (Round of 64) 2006 - Nebraska (Round of 64) 2010 - Nebraska (Round of 32) 2011 - Nebraska (Round of 64) 2012 - Nebraska (Round of 32) 2013 - Nebraska (Sweet 16) 2014 - Texas Tech (Round of 64) 2022 - Memphis (Round of 64) 2025 - Memphis (Round of 64) |
| NCAA Singles/Doubles Appearances |
| 2005 - Lindsay Deason, FSU (Doubles) 2005 - Mihaela Moldovan, FSU (Singles and Doubles) 2007 - Imke Reimers, NU (Singles) 2012 - Mary Weatherholt, NU (Singles) 2013 - Patricia Veresova, NU (Doubles) 2013 - Mary Weatherholt, NU (Singles and Doubles) 2015 - Anki Wind, Memphis (Doubles) 2015 - Alyssa Hibberd, Memphis (Doubles) |
