University of Houston Athletics
Steinbock Hired to Lead Houston Tennis Program
6/23/2015 12:00:00 AM | Tennis
HOUSTON â€" The University of Houston Athletics Department is proud to announce Courtney Steinbock as the school's ninth Head Tennis Coach. Steinbock, one of the rising stars of collegiate tennis, comes to Houston after a successful two-year run as the assistant coach at Oklahoma State University.
"We are very excited to welcome Courtney back to Texas and to the UH Cougar family as the head coach of our tennis program," said UH Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Hunter Yurachek. "She has proven to be an outstanding assistant coach on the collegiate level and is well-prepared to lead her own program. As a former student-athlete, she is truly passionate about the sport of tennis and our commitment to Building Champions for Life and will serve as a tremendous leader for our student-athletes."
"First and foremost, I'd like to thank Hunter Yurachek, Lauren DuBois and the entire search committee at Houston for giving me this opportunity," said Steinbock. "I am excited about the opportunity to lead one of the premier programs in both the state of Texas and the American Athletic Conference, and I am eager to get to work building a team that will compete for championships."
Steinbock spent the past two seasons at Oklahoma State, helping the Cowgirls achieve one of the finest seasons in school history. With Steinbock's help, OSU finished the season 23-6 and hosted the opening two rounds of the NCAA Championship for the first time in program history. The Cowgirls rose as high as No. 8 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings last season, a program record, and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1996.
At the end of the season, Steinbock was named ITA Central Regional Coach of the Year, and she was a finalist for the National Assistant Coach of the Year award.
With Steinbock's direction, sophomore Viktoriya Lushkova rose to No. 10 in the ITA singles rankings, an Oklahoma State record. In addition, Lushkova and teammate Kelsey Laurente were ranked as high as No. 3 in the ITA's doubles listings, another school record.
Prior to her time at OSU, Steinbock spent three seasons (2010-13) as an assistant at Mississippi State University. During her time with the Bulldogs, she helped the team win their first SEC Tournament match in nearly a decade and played a major role in building a program that advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Championship this past season.
Steinbock served for two seasons (2008-10) as the Associate Head Coach at Wichita State, during which time the Shockers won the 2009 Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament championships. Steinbock earned MVC Assistant Coach of the Year honors after the season and helped WSU make it back to the NCAA Championship in 2010.
A graduate of the University of Kansas, Steinbock also spent three seasons (2004-06) as a volunteer assistant at her alma mater and two seasons (2006-08) as an assistant at Washington State. During her tenure in the Pacific Northwest, the Cougars were listed as high as No. 39 in the ITA national rankings and qualified for the 2008 NCAA Championship.
A native of Lubbock, Texas, Steinbock was a four-year letterwinner at Kansas from 2000-04, where she earned First Team All-Big XII Conference honors as a junior. The team MVP in each of her last two seasons, Steinbock graduated from KU in 2005 with a B.S. in general studies.
Steinbock takes the reins of a Houston program that won 22 matches last season and was selected to the NCAA Championship for the second consecutive season. UH set a program record by winning 18 consecutive matches in 2015 and advanced to the finals of the American Athletic Conference Championship.
 | WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT STEINBOCK |
"It is a bittersweet day for us at Oklahoma State, because we are excited for Courtney to have the opportunity to lead the program at Houston but sad to lose her. I have worked with Courtney at two different universities and know that our loss is Houston's gain. I am completely confident that she will continue the rise of the program there and help Houston's student-athletes to have a great experience."â€" Chris Young, Director of Tennis and Head Coach of Women's Tennis at Oklahoma State University
"Courtney will be an outstanding asset to the University of Houston Tennis program. She is a relentless recruiter and has a great ability to cultivate relationships with players and the community. Her work ethic is second to none. I am thrilled for her and the future of UH Tennis."â€" Amy Holt, Associate Athletics Director/SWA at Arkansas State University (Head Coach at the University of Kansas, 2003-13)
"Houston made a wonderful choice when they hired Courtney Steinbock. She will bring high energy on a daily basis and combine strategy with mental toughness in her approach to coaching. She will do a great job of recruiting due to her relentless effort and determination. Coach Steinbock is the perfect fit for the Cougars."â€" Frank Polito, Associate Head Coach at Cleveland State University (Assistant Coach at the University of Kansas, 2004-06)
| JOIN THE CENTER COURT CLUB |
The Cougars are proud to introduce the Center Court Club, a restricted-giving program that directly impacts the needs of the University of Houston Tennis program. Gifts to the Center Court Club provide financial support directly to the University of Houston Tennis program for needs beyond the program's operating budget. Revenue generated from the Center Court Club is used at the discretion of the Head Coach for program enhancements. Membership in the Center Court Club is annual and requires a minimum $100 gift.
LEVELS OF GIVING
WINNER
For a minimum gift of $100, supporters receive a team poster and a signed tennis ball.
ACE
For a minimum gift of $500, supporters receive a team poster and a signed tennis ball, private practice invitation and a stadium blanket.
US OPEN
For a minimum gift of $1,000, supporters receive a team poster and a signed tennis ball, private practice invitation, a stadium blanket, fleece jacket and a lesson from the coach.
GRAND SLAM
For a minimum gift of $2,500, supporters receive a team poster and a signed tennis ball, private practice invitation, a stadium blanket, fleece jacket, a lesson from the coach and a group lesson from the coaching staff.
Join the Center Court Club
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