Completed Event: Women's Tennis at Tribe Invitational on September 13, 2025 ,
WTEN
Final
James Madison
at Tribe Invitational
James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
Tyson Thomas Named New Women's Tennis Head Coach
7/6/2023 11:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne announced Thursday that Tyson Thomas has been selected as the next head coach for the women's tennis program.
Â
Thomas brings a decade of collegiate coaching experience to JMU, as he was recently hired as head coach at Saint Joseph's after serving as an assistant last season at nearby Penn in Philadelphia.
Â
"We were fortunate to have a great pool of candidates who rose as a great fit for this position. The culture of the JMU women's tennis program is strong and we're excited to have Tyson aboard to lead our student-athletes into the future," Bourne said. "Given his coaching experience at the University of Virginia, his knowledge and ability to recruit in this state and region will be very beneficial to our program."
Â
"I would first like to thank Mr. Bourne, Denise Lough and all of the other members of the search committee. It became clear very quickly that JMU is a special place filled with incredible people who I'm honored to be able to work alongside," Thomas said. "I would also like to thank my wife, Meg, and our two daughters, Fiona and Margo. Their love and support have allowed me to follow my dreams, and I'm eternally grateful to them."
Â
He continued, "I couldn't be more excited to settle into Harrisonburg and get to work with the team. Shelley [Jaudon] and Noah [Tippen] have built a strong foundation, and I'm excited to build off of that and elevate JMU on a national scale as one of the most innovative and exciting programs in the country."
Â
In his one season with the Quakers, he helped the team to 11 dual-match victories. Thomas coached a pair of Penn student-athletes to All-Ivy League honors in Second Team member Gavriella Smith and All-Academic Team honoree Iris Gallo.
Â
Prior to his stint in Philadelphia, Thomas spent three seasons (2019-22) as a volunteer assistant at the University of Virginia.
Â
During his time with the Cavaliers, he helped the team to 49 victories and a pair of NCAA Championship appearances, including a trip to the 2022 quarterfinals. Thomas coached three UVA players to All-America accolades, including 2021 NCAA singles champion Emma Navarro.
Â
He began his collegiate coaching career at the University of Nebraska Omaha, where he spent six seasons (2013-19). Thomas was an assistant coach with both the men's and women's tennis teams in his first year before transitioning to lead the men's tennis program for five years as its head coach.
Â
In his five years leading the Maverick men, the team tallied 51 victories and reached the Summit League title match in his third season in 2017. Thomas coached six players to All-Summit honors, including Razvan Grigorescu, who had a career-high ranking of #52 and earned a berth into the 2017 NCAA Singles Championship.
Â
Thomas played his college tennis at the University of Nebraska-Kearney, where he gained both singles and doubles all-conference honors in his junior and senior seasons. Thomas was a member of UNK's first two conference championship teams in 2004 and 2005 and helped the Lopers reach the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in 2005.
Â
After college, Thomas worked as a Tennis Director at Peter Burwash International. While with PBI, he coached at and managed programs in Palm Springs and Carmel, Calif., St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, South Korea, Beijing, China, Peninsula Papgayo, Costa Rica and Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE. In 2008, Thomas coached one of his students to a win in the Girls U18 Abu Dhabi ITF Junior Championship.
Â
As a member of the Peace Corps, Thomas moved to Mali, West Africa from 2009-2011, where he co-directed the creation of the Malian National Junior Tennis Center. He trained Mali's top male and female junior athletes and accompanied them to International tournaments in Accra, Ghana and Dakar and Winneba, Senegal. In his second year, Thomas coached Malian Seydou Diallo to a title in the boy's U18 category at the ITF West African Junior Championships.
Â
A native of Columbus, Neb., Thomas earned a bachelor's degree from Nebraska-Kearney in comprehensive psychology in 2005. Thomas is married to the former Meggan Mills, and the two have two daughters, Fiona (8) and Margo (6).
Â
Thomas becomes the sixth head coach in the program's varsity history and succeeds Shelley Jaudon, who resigned in May to become head coach at Kentucky.
Â
Tyson Thomas Collegiate Coaching File
June 2023Â Â Â Â Â Â Saint Joseph's Head Coach
2022-23Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Penn Assistant Coach
2019-22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Virginia Volunteer Assistant Coach
2014-19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nebraska Omaha Head Coach (men's)
2013-14Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nebraska Omaha Assistant Coach (men's and women's)
Â
Â
Thomas brings a decade of collegiate coaching experience to JMU, as he was recently hired as head coach at Saint Joseph's after serving as an assistant last season at nearby Penn in Philadelphia.
Â
"We were fortunate to have a great pool of candidates who rose as a great fit for this position. The culture of the JMU women's tennis program is strong and we're excited to have Tyson aboard to lead our student-athletes into the future," Bourne said. "Given his coaching experience at the University of Virginia, his knowledge and ability to recruit in this state and region will be very beneficial to our program."
Â
"I would first like to thank Mr. Bourne, Denise Lough and all of the other members of the search committee. It became clear very quickly that JMU is a special place filled with incredible people who I'm honored to be able to work alongside," Thomas said. "I would also like to thank my wife, Meg, and our two daughters, Fiona and Margo. Their love and support have allowed me to follow my dreams, and I'm eternally grateful to them."
Â
He continued, "I couldn't be more excited to settle into Harrisonburg and get to work with the team. Shelley [Jaudon] and Noah [Tippen] have built a strong foundation, and I'm excited to build off of that and elevate JMU on a national scale as one of the most innovative and exciting programs in the country."
Â
In his one season with the Quakers, he helped the team to 11 dual-match victories. Thomas coached a pair of Penn student-athletes to All-Ivy League honors in Second Team member Gavriella Smith and All-Academic Team honoree Iris Gallo.
Â
Prior to his stint in Philadelphia, Thomas spent three seasons (2019-22) as a volunteer assistant at the University of Virginia.
Â
During his time with the Cavaliers, he helped the team to 49 victories and a pair of NCAA Championship appearances, including a trip to the 2022 quarterfinals. Thomas coached three UVA players to All-America accolades, including 2021 NCAA singles champion Emma Navarro.
Â
He began his collegiate coaching career at the University of Nebraska Omaha, where he spent six seasons (2013-19). Thomas was an assistant coach with both the men's and women's tennis teams in his first year before transitioning to lead the men's tennis program for five years as its head coach.
Â
In his five years leading the Maverick men, the team tallied 51 victories and reached the Summit League title match in his third season in 2017. Thomas coached six players to All-Summit honors, including Razvan Grigorescu, who had a career-high ranking of #52 and earned a berth into the 2017 NCAA Singles Championship.
Â
Thomas played his college tennis at the University of Nebraska-Kearney, where he gained both singles and doubles all-conference honors in his junior and senior seasons. Thomas was a member of UNK's first two conference championship teams in 2004 and 2005 and helped the Lopers reach the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in 2005.
Â
After college, Thomas worked as a Tennis Director at Peter Burwash International. While with PBI, he coached at and managed programs in Palm Springs and Carmel, Calif., St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, South Korea, Beijing, China, Peninsula Papgayo, Costa Rica and Abu Dhabi and Dubai, UAE. In 2008, Thomas coached one of his students to a win in the Girls U18 Abu Dhabi ITF Junior Championship.
Â
As a member of the Peace Corps, Thomas moved to Mali, West Africa from 2009-2011, where he co-directed the creation of the Malian National Junior Tennis Center. He trained Mali's top male and female junior athletes and accompanied them to International tournaments in Accra, Ghana and Dakar and Winneba, Senegal. In his second year, Thomas coached Malian Seydou Diallo to a title in the boy's U18 category at the ITF West African Junior Championships.
Â
A native of Columbus, Neb., Thomas earned a bachelor's degree from Nebraska-Kearney in comprehensive psychology in 2005. Thomas is married to the former Meggan Mills, and the two have two daughters, Fiona (8) and Margo (6).
Â
Thomas becomes the sixth head coach in the program's varsity history and succeeds Shelley Jaudon, who resigned in May to become head coach at Kentucky.
Â
Tyson Thomas Collegiate Coaching File
June 2023Â Â Â Â Â Â Saint Joseph's Head Coach
2022-23Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Penn Assistant Coach
2019-22Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Virginia Volunteer Assistant Coach
2014-19Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nebraska Omaha Head Coach (men's)
2013-14Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Nebraska Omaha Assistant Coach (men's and women's)
Â
JMU Women's Tennis | SBC Tournament | Hype vs. App St
Monday, June 03
JMU Women's Tennis | Hype vs. Louisiana
Monday, June 03
JMU Womens Tennis 2023-24 | Home Opener Hype
Tuesday, January 30
JMU Women's Tennis | Georgetown Hype
Monday, March 21
