CAROLINA MEN’S TENNIS Paul is also the only HEAD CO head men’s tennis coach Coach Paul’s Highlights at North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast *Paul enters his 16th season at North Carolina. He came Sam Paul Conference to have Head Coach tutored four players who to Chapel Hill as an assistant coach in 1989 and became 172-95 at UNC have been ranked in the head coach in 1993. Top 550 in the world in *Paul earned his 100th career victory by defeating No. 23 63-25 in ACC Matches men’s singles — Don Notre Dame on March 25, 2000. A 12th Season at North Johnson (UNC Class of *Paul ranks fourth in career ACC dual match victories CH SAM P ’90), David Caldwell Carolina (UNC Class of ’96), behind only Don Skakle, Chuck Kriese and Jay Lapidus. The University of North Tripp Phillips (UNC *North Carolina has finished in the top three in the ACC Carolina men’s tennis program Class of ’00) and Nick standings in 14 of the 16 years Paul has coached here. is led by one of the nation’s Monroe (UNC Class of *In 12 of the last 14 years, Carolina’s #1 singles player has best and brightest coaches, ‘04). Monroe, who earned All-America honors and/or participated in the NCAA Sam Paul, a four-time Atlantic recently turned profes- singles championship. A Coast Conference Coach of the sional, is ranked No. 550 Year selection, three-time and had his biggest win match victory over Georgia Tech. In 2004, UNC sur- UL Intercollegiate Tennis over Brian Wilson, a former Illinois player who was prised much of college tennis by rising from a No. 50 Association Mideast Region ranked No. 1 in the college ranks in 2004. Phillips is preseason ranking to share the ACC regular season Coach of the Year and three- ranked No. 78 in the world in doubles and he contin- championship and earn the No. 11 seed in the NCAA time ITA National Coach of ues to be coached by Paul. Tournament. The Tar Heels finished 23-5 overall and the Year finalist. The late 1990s and early years of the 2000s were hosted an NCAA regional for the first time since the North Carolina’s tradition of excellence in men’s busy ones for Coach Paul as he took on extra duties field expanded to 64. Nick Monroe became the tennis continues under Paul, now in his 12th year as as personal coach for UNC alumnus Don Johnson fourth NCAA quarterfinalist coached by Paul, join- head coach of the Tar Heels and 16th year overall as during his magnificent runs in doubles at Wimbledon ing Roland Thornqvist, David Caldwell and Tripp a coach at the University. Paul ranks as the fourth and the U.S. Open In that role, he became the only Phillips in that category. winningest coach in ACC history in dual match wins current college coach to coach a player ranked No. 1 Paul came to Chapel Hill in September 1989 in his career and is second in UNC history in that cat- in the world in the ATP men’s doubles rankings.. after serving as the Director of Tennis and the head egory behind only Don Skakle. Paul accompanied Johnson, who now serves as a The 44-year-old native of Lancaster, S.C., has full-time assistant coach for the Tar Heels, to a pair been uniting the winning reputation of UNC men’s of Grand Slam titles and an appearance on the U.S. tennis with his adroit skills for coaching and recruit- Davis Cup Team. ing since he was named the head men’s tennis coach Paul, who had been an assistant coach for the Tar in April 1993, making North Carolina one of the Heel program for four years from 1989-93, took over most respected programs in the nation. He holds a for legendary coach Allen Morris in May 1993. In career head coaching record at UNC of 172-95, 2002, Paul directed his Tar Heels to a 19-6 dual including a 63-25 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference match record and the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season dual matches. Twice in the last five championship, the 25th in school history. Carolina years Paul has mentored student-athletes who have has been invited to the NCAA Tournament in 12 of won the Patterson Medal as Carolina’s outstanding the past 13 seasons while Paul has been an assistant senior student-athlete — Tripp Phillips in 2000 and and head coach in Chapel Hill. Only once in Paul’s Nick Monroe in 2004. head coaching tenure have the Tar Heels failed to make the NCAA Tournament field. Paul has been repeatedly Head Coach Sam Paul awarded for his coaching abili- Education: ty as he was selected the Presbyterian College (1983, B.S. in Applied Psychology) Atlantic Coast Conference College Coaching: Coach of the Year in 1996, • University of South Carolina, Assistant Coach, 1983-86 2000, 2002 and 2004. The • Trinity University, Assistant Coach, 1986-87 1996 Tar Heels amassed a 21-5 • University of Richmond, Director of Tennis, 1987-89 overall record, went undefeat- • University of North Carolina, Assistant Coach, 1989-93; ed in the ACC regular season at Head Coach, 1993-present 8-0 and saw five players com- Coach Sam Paul and Carolina ten- Recognition: plete individual 20-win sea- nis legend Vic Seixas, Wimbledon • 1996 ACC Coach of the Year sons. Senior David Caldwell and U.S. Open champion • 1996 ITA Region II Coach of the Year received ACC Player of the men’s and women’s tennis coach at the University of • 1996 National Coach of the Year Finalist Year honors for the third con- Richmond for two years, where he won honors as the • 2000 ACC Coach of the Year secutive season and won the Colonial Athletic Association’s Women’s Tennis • 2000 Region II Coach of the Year No. 1 singles title for the third Coach of the Year in both 1988 and 1989. His women • 2000 National Coach of the Year Finalist straight season — both league went 11-11 in his first year at the helm, finishing • 2000 National Coach of the Year Finalist firsts. The 2000 Tar Heels third in the CAA, and improved to 14-7 in 1989, • 2002 ACC Coach of the Year compiled an 18-6 mark, which was good for second place in the CAA. The • 2004 ACC Coach of the Year reached the NCAA 1989 team was also ranked in the region’s Top 10. • 2004 ITA Mideast Coach of the Year Tournament regional finals and Working with a non-scholarship men’s program • 2004 National Coach of the Year Finalist had three players earn ACC at Richmond, Paul led the Spiders to a 12-9 mark and flight championship honors. third-place league finish in his second year. Besides their success on the court, Tar Heel ten- Senior Tripp Phillips earned All-America distinction During Paul’s four years as the Carolina assis- nis teams under Coach Paul also excel in the class- as he advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals. In 2002, tant, UNC was 82-29 overall in dual matches, 26-3 in room. The UNC men’s tennis team had the highest the Tar Heels had one of their most glorious seasons Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season dual cumulative grade point average of any men’s athletic in recent memory as UNC went 19-6 overall against matches and 10-2 in ACC Tournament dual matches. team at Carolina during the 2003-04 school year. a brutal schedule and won the ACC title for the first Paul assisted on teams which won ACC Tournament time since 1992 with a stirring 4-3 championship 2005 MEDIA GUIDE • PAGE 1 • UNC MEN’S TENNIS CAROLINA MEN’S TENNIS titles in 1990 and 1992, were the ACC Tournament career doubles titles. The majority of Johnson’s runnersup in 1991 and 1993 and won the confer- early success was achieved with fellow American UL ence’s regular-season championship in 1991 and Francisco Montana. Johnson and Montana advanced A 1992. All four teams Paul worked with at Carolina as Don Johnson to the quarterfinals of the French Open in 1996 and an assistant to Coach Morris were ranked in the Top Assistant Coach 1998 and the semifinals of the 1998 World Doubles 25 in the nation by the Intercollegiate Tennis Seventh season at Championships. In 1998, Johnson’s doubles ranking Association. rose to No. 6 in the world. The 1992 Carolina team reached the quarterfi- North Carolina Johnson’s first doubles wins came in 1996 at nals of the NCAA Tournament and the 1993 squad Amsterdam and at Mexico City. When he retired he was in the NCAA Tournament Final 16. Since Paul (North Carolina, 1990) was the oldest player in the year-end Top 10 of the took over as UNC’s head coach the Tar Heels have doubles rankings at the age of 34. All in all, he fin- CH SAM P made the NCAA Tournament field every year but Don Johnson is in his sev- A one. enth season as the Tar Heels’ During his time at Carolina, the Tar Heels have assistant coach and his sec- also had remarkable success in the Rolex ITA ond year as the primary Collegiate Championships. A Carolina player has assistant after serving as a competed in the national singles indoor competition volunteer coach for five eight of the past 14 years, most recently Trystan years.