Kelcy McKenna named women’s tennis head coach

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From SMUMustangs.com:

SMU welcomes Kelcy McKenna as new women’s tennis head coach

DALLAS (August 11, 2025) – SMU Athletics named Kelcy McKenna as the new Women's Tennis Head Coach. Since 2017, McKenna has served as the head coach for the Wisconsin Badgers' women's tennis, transforming the program into a perennial NCAA tournament team.

McKenna's tenure at Wisconsin has been defined by a dramatic program turnaround. When she arrived in 2016, the Badgers were coming off a 4–16 season and a winless Big Ten campaign. In her second year, Wisconsin began to show progress, and by her third season in 2018–19, the team posted an 18–6 record, finished second in the Big Ten at 9–2, and earned its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2005. By 2023, the Badgers had achieved one of the best seasons in school history: 20 victories (first in 25 years), a No. 11 national ranking at their peak (highest since 1996), and a season-ending No. 22 ITA ranking, along with the program's first NCAA Tournament win since 2002. Under McKenna's leadership, Wisconsin evolved from the bottom of the Big Ten into a nationally respected contender, consistently competing against and defeating top-25 programs.

Over the last three seasons, McKenna has led the Badgers to a record of 58-21 including three straight NCAA Round of 32 appearances. Last season, McKenna coached Maria Sholokhova to a 2024 Women's ITA All-American Singles Championship, becoming the program's first All-American since 1998 in 2025. McKenna and Sholokhova became the first coach-player duo, men's or women's, to both win the ITA All-American Singles Championship.

"Simply put, Kelcy McKenna is one of the best women's tennis coaches in the country," said Damon Evans, Director of Athletics. "Recruiting a head coach of the caliber of Kelcy is a testament to the incredible program we are building here at SMU. High expectations attract incredible people, and Kelcy is embracing the goal to build a championship-level program here in Dallas."

"From my first conversation with Damon, it was clear his vision for SMU Athletics is bold, ambitious, and championship-driven," McKenna said. "That vision, combined with the campus energy and world-class facilities, makes this an opportunity I'm eager to embrace. I'm profoundly grateful to Damon and the SMU Athletics Executive Leadership Team for entrusting me to build something special here on the Hilltop."

"My husband and I are thrilled to join the SMU family and become part of the vibrant Mustang community," McKenna added.

Prior to her coaching career, McKenna was an All-American student-athlete at Arizona State in both singles and doubles, ranked as high as No. 3 in the country in singles and No. 11 in doubles while at ASU. McKenna won multiple prestigious national tournaments including the 2009 ITA Riviera All-American Tournament, the 2010 Thunderbird and the 2010 Cal Nike Invitational.

A native of North Bend, Oregon, McKenna graduated from ASU in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education and a master's degree in educational leadership from Concordia University in 2014. She is married to Matt Given and the couple has two dogs: Jordy and Aspen.