Tennis

Jeff Maren is beginning his fifth year with the Mean Green tennis team and his second as the squad’s associate head coach.

Maren was given the title Associate Head Coach in his fourth season at North Texas. During the 2010 season, he helped the Mean Green to a 17-7 record and it’s first Sun Belt Conference Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.

In his first three seasons, Maren served as the  assistant coach for the Mean Green helping bring success back to a program that was 2-19 in 2007. In ‘07-08, the team finished 13-9 with a final ranking of No. 13 in the ITA Southwest Region. North Texas closed the ‘08-09 campaign with a 17-6 mark and an appearance in the Sun Belt Tournament semifinals.Following the ‘08-09 season, Maren was named the team’s associate head coach.

Maren spent the better part of twenty years teaching and managing tennis clubs in Kentucky.

In 2005, Maren was presented with the prestigious “Kentucky Pro Of The Year” award by the USTA. In addition to his involvement with tennis clubs, Maren also has five years of college coaching experience. He started and developed two programs - the women’s team at Thomas More College, and the men’s team at Brescia University.

Despite his success at the club level and small college programs, Maren chose to pursue a dream.

“For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a coach at the highest level of college coaching,” said Maren. “I am absolutely passionate about coaching elite players and watching them grow and succeed right before my eyes. I enjoy the family atmosphere within our team, and believe strongly that a student-athlete can flourish under the system that Coach Lama and I have in place.”

In addition to his coaching experience, Coach Maren also has an extensive playing background. He was a high school All-American at Owensboro Catholic High School in Kentucky. He earned a scholarship to Thomas More College and qualified for the NAIA National Championships all four years (1985-89). He was the district champion three times in both singles and doubles, and was nationally-ranked in singles his senior year.

Maren finished his collegiate career winning 81 out of 101 singles matches played. He continued playing competitively in open and pro events around the country, and in 2002 was ranked in the top 25 in the country in men’s 35 and over singles.
Maren has played tournament tennis every year for the past 27 years.

“Playing at a competitive level improves my coaching because I can relate with what the players are going through before, during and after matches.”

Coach Maren has been married to his wife, Julie, for 11 years and they have a eight-year-old son, Zachary.