Roehner's Interim Tag Removed; Named Tennis Head Coach
Coker has announced the removal of the interim tag from Derek Roehner, officially naming him the head coach of the men’s and women’s tennis programs. Roehner spent the past season leading the Cobras in an interim role.
HARTSVILLE, S.C. – Coker University has announced the removal of the interim tag from Derek Roehner, officially naming him the head coach of the men's and women's tennis programs. Roehner spent the past season leading the Cobras in an interim role.
"Derek has done an outstanding job leading our tennis programs," said Lynn Griffin, vice president of athletics and facilities. "We are excited to officially remove the interim tag and continue building toward an even brighter future for Coker Tennis."
Under Roehner's guidance, Coker's men earned a top-50 national ranking during the 2025-26 season and produced three All-South Atlantic Conference selections, with Marcio Silva, Edoardo Pillia and Marko Pozonec all receiving accolades. Senior Andy Huynh was also named the SAC Men's Tennis Elite 23 recipient as the student-athlete with the highest GPA competing at the SAC Tournament. On the women's side, Ilona Hernandez-Sanchez earned all-conference honors.
In his first year with Coker as a graduate assistant, Roehner played a pivotal role in guiding the women's program to historic success. The Cobras achieved their highest-ever national ranking at No. 43, earned their first appearance in the Southeast Region Top 10, and posted a team GPA of 3.83—the highest among all Coker athletic programs.
Individually, Jade Bellegy earned First Team All-South Atlantic Conference honors in singles, reached the ITA Southeast Regional quarterfinals, won the Cayce Invitational, and finished the season ranked among the region's Top 10 players. Bellegy also teamed with Emerson Banning to earn First Team All-SAC doubles honors, while Hernandez-Sanchez was recognized as SAC Freshman of the Year.
On the men's side, Roehner guided a young roster through a rebuilding season that featured seven newcomers and four returners. The Cobras earned key SAC victories over Newberry College and Limestone University, as well as a strong regional win against North Greenville University. Individually, Samuel Winter advanced to the Round of 16 at the ITA Southeast Regional Championship, marking one of the program's strongest postseason showings in recent years.
"I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue leading both programs at Coker," said Roehner. "I want to thank Dr. Griffin and the entire athletic department for their trust and support. I'm excited to continue building on the momentum and build an even stronger culture for this program."
A native of Weston, Florida, Roehner was a multi-year captain at West Liberty University, where he helped establish a team-first culture. He also brings valuable coaching experience from his time at Midtown Athletic Club, working under Laurent Leclerc, Ken Feuer, Luis Brest, and Rob Manchester in developing nationally ranked junior players.