Anderson University Men's Tennis

Eskridge   |   Head Coach E-mail: Office Joey Eskridge, an Anderson native who grew up playing on the courts of Anderson University, was named the Trojans head mens and womens tennis coach prior to the 2008-09 campaign and is entering his seventh year at the helm of the program. In his previous four seasons, he has guided the mens team to two conference tournament titles and led his team to the NCAA tournament in three of the last four seasons. During his brief tenure, Eskridge has coached two All-Americans and has maintained a top 10-ranking in the Southeast region and a top-30 ranking in the nation with the mens squad. The womens team earned a trip to the 2013 SAC championship, while in 2012, the Trojans its first national ranking in school history. The women's team conducted its third straight winning season in 2013. In just his first season as head coach, Eskridge guided the Trojans mens tennis squad to the Conference Carolinas tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament regional semifinals. Eskridge was a ranked junior player in the state of South Carolina and his ties to AU began at an early age, with former AU head coach Jim Boykin serving as his first tennis coach. We are so fortunate to have attracted someone of Joeys caliber to Anderson University. said Anderson Director of Athletics Nancy Simpson. He is a seasoned and well-respected coach who has tremendous connections to South Carolina tennis. In addition, he is a fine and upstanding leader and mentor for our student-athletes. Our programs will continue to thrive under his guidance. Eskridge led the T.L. Hanna Yellow Jackets to a state championship title in 1988 before going on to play collegiate tennis for the Winthrop University Eagles as a walk-on for two seasons. He also served as an assistant coach with the Eagles for two years before moving to Hilton Head to pursue his teaching career at South Beach Racquet Club and Van Der Meer Tennis University where he was the youngest head pro on staff. Eskridge has served as chairman of player development for the USTA and as a high performance coach for the South Carolina Tennis Association for five years. He also served as the Director of Tennis for both the IOn Club and the Players Club in Mt, Pleasant South Carolina for the past decade. In 2005, the IOn Club received the Facility of the Year Award by the USTA under his leadership. Eskridge is a national tester for the Professional Tennis Registry and has developed several outstanding junior players in addition to working with WTA players. He coached Southern Junior Cup for four years and South Carolina never finished outside the top five while he was the coach. He earned Head/Penn Pro of the Year honors in 2002 and PTR Member of the Year for South Carolina in 2004. In 2008, he was named the John Newcomb Pro of the Year for USTA-South Carolina, an award that is given only once in a lifetime to a tennis professional from South Carolina.