Jim Lavender has been chosen as the new head coach of men's and women's tennis at Montreat College, as announced today by Athletic Director Jose Larios. Lavender brings over 25 years of coaching experience to the Cavalier program.
The Women's Tennis Association-registered coach has seen the realm of professional tours in addition to collegiate and junior development coaching, and he is a U.S. Professional Tennis Association Elite and European Tennis Association professional coach.
"Montreat College is thrilled to welcome Jim Lavender to the Cavalier family. After a national search, Coach Lavender quickly rose to the top for his missional focus and his elite-level tennis development," Larios said. "I have no doubt Jim will continue to strengthen the Christ-centered focus while recruiting high academically-focused student-athletes. Coach Lavender has a great foundation to build upon as last season's women's team boasted the highest grade point average of all Montreat College athletic teams with a 3.6."
Throughout his coaching career, Lavender has trained five professional players in the top 500, two in the top 100, eight All-American collegiate players, and multiple junior players ranked nationally and internationally. He has been a guest coach at world renowned tennis academies such as Sanchez-Casal Academia (Spain) and Mouratoglou Tennis Academy (France), as well as the director of the O'Shannessy Tennis Academy in Australia. For the past 18 years, Lavender has been an owner and partner of Competitive Edge Tennis Academy in Florida and the director of coaching for the Bahamian Tennis Federation.
At the helm of Keiser University's men's and women's tennis programs in 2011 and 2012, Lavender coached four players to All-American honors.
As Mars Hill University's head men's and women's coach in 2008 and 2009, he coached the men's team to its first conference tournament in school history, along with an NCAA berth, ranking 38th nationally. He also boasted South Atlantic Conference player of the year honors for both men and women.
Lavender's collegiate coaching career began in 1995 when he was the assistant men's and women's coach at Barton College until 1998. In his time there, he helped coach four players to All-American honors and the men's team to three conference titles.
Lavender currently serves as a leader in two Christian tennis ministries: Match Point Ministries, a ministry that takes the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the tennis world through missions, outreach, camps, and coaching, along with Love Serving Autism, a specialized therapeutic program that focuses on tennis, communication, and life skills for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders and developmental disabilities.
"I'm very grateful and humbled to be given an opportunity to lead the tennis program here at Montreat College," Lavender said. "I look forward to being a part of a Christ-centered athletic program and a staff that is developing tomorrow's leaders. A special thanks to Athletic Director Jose Larios and his staff along with President Maurer for their faith in me to join in the mission of Montreat College."
The Florida native is a graduate of Methodist University. He and his wife, Dawn, have a daughter, Elyse.
