Kuykendall Named Assistant Coach for Women’s Tennis
6/15/2023 1:11:00 PM | Women's Tennis
LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty Women's Tennis Head Coach Jeff Maren has announced the hiring of Kylie Kuykendall as the next assistant coach for the Lady Flames.
Kuykendall carries four years of coaching experience at Furman and North Greenville where she played vital roles in recruiting, culture building and player development.
Kuykendall was most recently the head coach for both the men's and women's tennis programs at North Greenville where she led both teams to historic seasons. The North Greenville women's team secured its first postseason conference tournament appearance, while the men's squad earned its first-ever victory in a conference tournament match.
"The Liberty tennis family is very excited to welcome Kylie to campus," Maren stated. "She has a tremendous love for the Lord and for tennis, is passionate about serving others and has a lot of energy to give to the team. I have no doubt that Kylie will help to elevate our program to new heights!"
While an assistant coach with the Furman's women's tennis program for three seasons, Kuykendall was instrumental in taking the team to its highest national ranking in program history. The team achieved a program-best ranking of No. 19 in 2022, while being a top-40 team in each of her first two seasons. Kuykendall coached a variety of players that achieved national rankings and honors, including two-time All-American Katarina Kozarov, 2022 SoCon Player of the Year Julia Adams and SoCon Freshman of the year Sara Snyder.
A native of Honea Path, S.C., Kuykendall was a four-year letterwinner at Florida State from 1996-99. She played both singles and doubles for all four seasons as a Seminole, including a 14-8 singles record during her junior year.
Throughout her career, Kuykendall has served with ministries both in a volunteering and professional capacity. She served with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and directed Leon Springs Baptist Church Childhood Ministries.
Kuykendall was a sought-after assistant coach but considered Liberty to be a perfect fit for her and her family.
"Kylie is a perfect for Liberty women's tennis! She was foundational in building and sustaining a top 25 nationally-ranked Division I program," said Texas Tech women's tennis head coach Adam Herendeen, who worked with Kuykendall at Furman. More importantly, she lives her faith every single day and is someone that student-athletes and staff can count on, on and off the court. She will be a perfect addition to what Coach Maren is building in Lynchburg, and I cannot wait to see their program continue to grow!"
Kuykendall and her husband, Eric, a native of San Antonio, Texas, are parents to a daughter, Karis, and a son, Justus.
