Brenau University’s Ernest Ledford Grindle Athletics Department has hired Kathryn Barker as the new head tennis coach.
Barker comes to Brenau from Dalton Golf and Country Club, where she provided support to the director of Tennis and Pickleball. Barker taught private lessons and clinics and served as a coach in the club’s junior program.
She was an assistant tennis coach at Christian Heritage School, where she helped lead the girls’ team to their first state appearance and the first region finals in program history in 2021. She also helped lead the boys’ team to a region championship title in 2023. She holds multiple certifications from the Racquet Sports Professionals Association, including tennis and pickleball.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science and an MBA from Berry College in Rome, Georgia. She was also the graduate assistant tennis coach during her graduate program. During her undergraduate studies, Barker was a standout for the Vikings, earning Southern Athletics Association All-Conference in 2018, 2019, and 2022, All-Tournament in 2018, and All-SAA Academic Honor Roll in 2018, 2020, and 2022. She was the team captain for two years and women’s tennis representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
“College tennis can be one of the most rewarding experiences in a player’s career. Tennis is typically an individual sport, but when you do it with a team, that’s where the magic happens,” Barker said. “The personal growth that happens is unmatched. Seeing my players’ growth over their four years, growth that goes far beyond the court, is one of the most rewarding parts of being a coach.”
Mike Lochstampfor, Brenau’s vice president of athletics and head soccer coach, said Barker fits in well with the team and the established program.
“Brenau’s tennis program has been a mainstay of the university for over four decades, winning numerous championships and enjoying much success while serving as the frontrunner for other athletic programs,” Lochstampor said. “We sought a coach who would value that legacy and move the program forward while providing a great college experience for our team members.”
Barker fills the role left by Andre Ferreira, who served as the tennis head coach at Brenau for 14 years.
The Brenau Tennis team has earned several titles over the years, including two national championship titles in 1999 and 2002.