HEAD COACH

MAI-LY TRAN

Mai-Ly Tran was named the fourth head coach in program history on July 13, 2021. She is the second woman to guide the program, following Lois Nieder, who coached the Rams’ the first 14 seasons of play, beginning in 1975-76. This will be Tran's second head-coaching stint.

In 2022-23, the Rams continued to build off Tran’s initial success, setting the program record with 16 dual victories (the team was 16-8 on the season) and closing the campaign with a 10-week run in the national rankings, culminating with a final finish of 67. Radka Buzkova was once again named All-Mountain West in both singles and doubles.

In her first campaign, Tran guided the team to the  most successful season in program history. The Rams tied a record with 15 dual wins and established a record for conference play with an 8-2 mark. The eight Mountain West victories matched what the team had combined to do since 2013. The squad reached the Mountain West semifinals for just the second time, the first coming in 2001.

Radka Buzkova became the fifth player in program history to earn All-Mountain West honors as both a singles and doubles player. Somer Dalla-Bona was named in singles, with Matea Mihaljevic in doubles. Buzkova and Mihaljevic each won 26 doubles matches, establishing a program record, while Dalla-Bona and Sarka Richterova each won 22, tied for fourth-best. Those two tandems became the first qualifiers for the ITA Nationals, with Buzkova/Mihaljevic winning the program’s first ITA Regional crown. Buzkova’s 25 singles were tied for third in a season. Her .833 winning percentage ranked second to teammate Lucia Natal (.863).

Tran arrived off a successful run as Drake’s head coach the prior five seasons, including the first Missouri Valley Conference Tournament championship since 2000, a trip to the NCAA Tournament and a 7-0 sweep of Colorado State on the Bulldogs’ home court. Since taking over the program in 2017, Tran has guided the team to 50-46 record, 11-11 in conference play and a regular-season championship in the 2018 campaign, when she was named the conference Coach of the Year.

Drake’s NCAA appearance was just the third in program history. She coached the 2018 Freshman of the Year, had eight players named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete team and mentored nine All-MVC singles selections with four more earning doubles recognition.

Before her first lead post, she spent three years as an assistant at her alma mater, Cal State Fullerton. While there, the Titans complied a 35-33 record, with nine players earning All-Big West playing honors, 11 more earning academic awards. In 2016-17, the program produced its most successful season with 17 victories.

Prior to starting her collegiate coaching career, Tran served as the Director of Tennis at Hope International University, then coached four years at Orange Lutheran High School.

As a player at Cal State Fullerton from 2004-2007, she garnered All-Big West second-team honors in doubles. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2008.