University of Tulsa Women's Tennis

Orford earn his seventh conference coach of the year award as he was honored by the American Athletic Conference while coaching Saana Saarteinen to the AAC Womens Tennis Player of the Year accolades.   Under Orford, the Golden Hurricane have compiled a 225-71 record (.760) in 11 years while qualifying for the NCAA Tournament in 10 consecutive campaigns. Tulsa advanced to the second round in 2016 after defeating Arkansas, marking the fifth time the Hurricane have advanced to the second round in the tournament.   Orford has led the Hurricane to seven conference championships, winning Conference USA crowns in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012 before winning back-to-back American Athletic Conference titles in the first two years since becoming a league member. His Tulsa teams have earned a top-50 ranking in nine seasons with their highest ranking of No. 19 coming in the 2010-11 season when the Hurricane posted a program-best 26-3 mark.   Orford became Tulsas all-time winninest womens tennis coach on January 21, 2011, picking up his 105 career victory with a win over Mississippi State. Tulsa has been dominant at home during Orfords tenure, boasting a 138-18 (.885) record at the Michael D. Case Tennis Center.   In the 2006-07 season, Orfords team tied a program best 21 win season on his way to earning his first Conference USA Coach of the Year award while helping the Hurricane capture their first-ever conference championship. From 2006-12, Orford coached Tulsa to five C-USA Championships in six years while being named C-USA Coach of the Year five times during that span. Orfords 2010-11 team set the school record for wins in a season as they went 26-3 while achieving the programs highest ITA ranking when they were tabbed at No. 19 on April 5, 2011. A year later, the Hurricane defeated 14 ranked teams during the 2012 spring season as they advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year. In addition to his seven conference coach of the year honors, Orford has been named the Central Region Head Coach of the Year by the ITA twice, most recently in 2011.   Orford returned to coach at his alma mater in 1993 as the assistant mens coach. In 12 years, he helped the men win 177 matches. During that span, the Hurricane reached seven NCAA Tournaments and captured two Missouri Valley Conference titles. He finished as the national runner-up for Assistant Coach of the Year in 2002, while being named Region V Assistant Coach of the Year five times.   As a collegiate player for the Golden Hurricane, Orford lettered at Tulsa from 1987-91 while occupying the No. 1 position in both singles and doubles.   Before coming to Tulsa, Orford taught top-ranked junior tennis players in the state of Oklahoma. He was also the Tennis Pro at the South Hampton Bath and Tennis Club in New York, where he was the director for junior development.   A native of South Africa, Orford received his bachelors degree in graphic design from Tulsa in 1992. Orford and his wife, Sally Ann, have two sons: Josey Eli and Ethan.      th th Year Record Finish/Conference Postseason Final ITA National Ranking 2005-06 14-12 3rd/C-USA None N/A 2006-07 21-5 1st/C-USA NCAA 1st Round #44 2007-08 22-6 1st/C-USA NCAA 2nd Round #34 2008-09 23-6 2nd/C-USA NCAA 1st Round #36 2009-10 22-6 1st/C-USA NCAA 2nd Round #32 2010-11 26-3 1st/C-USA NCAA 2nd Round #21 2011-12 23-4 1st/C-USA NCAA 2nd Round #23 2012-13 19-7 2nd/C-USA NCAA 1st Round #29 2013-14 17-6 2nd/C-USA NCAA 1st Round #25 2014-15 16-11 1st/American NCAA 1st Round #51 2015-16 22-5 1st/American NCAA 2nd Round #24 Totals 225-71 (.760) 5 C-USA Titles; 2 American 10 NCAA Appearances Ranked among top-50 nine of 11 years as head coach