Sept. 11, 2003
FAIRFAX, Va. - George Mason University Assistant Vice President and Director of Athletics Tom O'Connor has announced the hiring of J.D. Almond as the new Patriot women's tennis head coach. Almond assumed his duties Sept. 8.
"We are pleased to have J.D. become the newest member of our athletic family," explained O'Connor. "We believe he will do a wonderful job here at Mason."
Almond brings loads of experience to the helm of the Mason program, having spent much of the past 16 years involved in many different levels of competitive tennis in the coaching and management arenas. This season will mark his first as a collegiate head coach.
"I'm very excited about becoming the new women's tennis head coach at George Mason," said Almond. "This is a big step for me as it's my first time coaching on the college level. I know I have the skills, confidence and ability in myself to help make this team successful and that is what I hope to do."
Most recently, Almond spent nine years as an administrator at Notre Dame Academy in Middleburg, VA, where he was the athletic director and head of the physical education department for five seasons. Prior to being named the AD, Almond was an associate athletic director, teacher, and the Dean of Students. Throughout his tenure at Notre Dame Academy, Almond coached the boys and girls tennis teams, earning several awards.
He was a six-time Delaney Athletic Conference Girls Tennis Coach of the Year recipient, and also won the honor once as the Boys Coach of the Year. In 1999, Almond was named the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) Mid-Atlantic Section High School Coach of the Year, and was selected the 2000 Washington Post Loudoun Extra's Girls Tennis Coach of the Year.
In addition to his coaching duties and numerous awards, Almond is a member of several organizations, including the USPTA, the USPTA Coaches Committee, and the US High School Tennis Coaches Association. He has been a US Tennis Teaching Professional at a variety of clubs in Northern Virginia since 1990, developing instructional outlines and lessons for various levels of play. As a National Tennis Rating Professional, Almond is a certified verifier of tennis player ratings, enabling athletes to play in leagues in Northern Virginia.
Almond, a 1987 graduate of Longwood College with a bachelor's degree in business administration, was a four-year men's varsity tennis letterwinner for the Lancers, and was named the team's most valuable player in 1986. He received his dual master's degree of sport science in sport coaching and sport management in 2003 from the United States Sports Academy in Daphne, AL.
Almond replaces former head coach Michael Coleman, who resigned to take a position at NOVA Southeastern College.
