Jeff Kader is in his fifth season as the head coach of the UTSA men’s tennis program. Kader was named the third head coach in school history on July 6, 2010.
In his four seasons in the Alamo City, Kader has guided the Roadrunners to 46 dual match victories, one conference championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. He has tutored his players to 19 all-conference honors, including seven first-team selections, and 13 academic all-conference certificates.
In his fourth year at the helm, Kader tutored UTSA to nine wins on a ledger that included seven nationally-ranked teams, including a 4-3 road triumph against No. 69-ranked Samford. A pair of players earned All-Conference USA honors. Tomas Stillman was tabbed the league’s Newcomer of the Year and a second-team all-conference selection in singles, while he paired with Joel Rubio for second-team all-league accolades in doubles. Additionally, five Roadrunners were named to the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
In 2013, Kader led the Roadrunners to a 13-11 record and a third-place finish with a 3-1 ledger in their first and only season in the Western Athletic Conference. UTSA faced six nationally-ranked Division I squads during the year and upset No. 72 Idaho in April, but were eliminated by the Vandals in the semifinal round of the WAC Tournament a week later. A pair of Roadrunners was named all-conference, including first-team honoree Joel Rubio, while seven of his student-athletes garnered WAC All-Academic accolades.
Kader guided UTSA to a thrilling postseason run that saw the Roadrunners knock off the top two seeds en route to the 2012 Southland Conference Tournament Championship. UTSA, which won 13 matches and entered the ITA national rankings for the first time in program history that spring, saw its run come to an end in the first round of the NCAA Tournament with a loss at No. 14 California. The team had a league-high eight players earn All-Southland honors, including Daniel Moser and David Kelleher, both of whom were first-team picks in singles play. UTSA also tied with a circuit-high four all-academic selections, including Moser, Pedro Zanotelli and Yannick Junger, all of who landed on the conference’s top squad.
In Kader’s first season at the helm, UTSA advanced to the Southland Tournament Championship Match for the ninth time in 11 years. The Roadrunners posted 11 wins on a ledger that featured nine matches against nationally-ranked opponents. The squad had a league-high seven players earn all-conference honors, including first-team selections in Moser and Tyler Brown. UTSA also garnered two all-academic awards (Brown/Martin Ayala) and Brown was named the Southland Student-Athlete of the Year.
The Geneva, Ohio, native came to UTSA from North Carolina State, where he was an assistant coach for four seasons. He helped guide the Wolfpack to 60 wins and a No. 55-or-better ITA ranking, including a top-20 showing in 2007, during his tenure in Raleigh.
Kader played an important role in the Wolfpack’s successful 2007 campaign when they recorded 23 wins, including 13 against nationally-ranked opponents, a final ranking of No. 19 and an appearance in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.
Kader helped his players achieve national recognition while at N.C. State.
He coached former All-American Jay Weinacker to a year-end individual ranking of No. 33 in 2009 and also helped the tandem of William Noblitt and Nick Cavady to a career-high national standing of sixth in 2008.
Prior to his stint in Raleigh, Kader spent one year working for the legendary Stan Smith at the Smith Stearns Tennis Academy in Hilton Head Island, S.C. He served as a teaching professional and traveling coach with elite junior players.
Kader enjoyed a successful collegiate career as a four-year letterwinner from 2002-05 at William & Mary.
He was a three-time first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association honoree in singles play from 2003-05 and also collected second-team All-CAA accolades in doubles action as a senior. Kader played an important role in helping the Tribe capture the 2005 CAA Tournament Championship and was named event's Most Valuable Player. He participated at the NCAA Tournament his final two campaigns and wrapped up his final year ranked 26th in the ITA singles poll. Kader also was the recipient of the 2005 Blue/Gray National Sportsmanship Award.
Kader graduated from William & Mary in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in kinesiology. He and his wife, Morgan, have two sons, Harrison Alexander and Davis Henry.
The Kader File
· Hometown: Geneva, Ohio
· Alma mater: William & Mary, 2005
Coaching Highlights
· Led UTSA to its third-ever NCAA Championships appearance after winning the 2012 Southland Conference Tournament
· Guided the Roadrunners to their first-ever ITA national ranking during the 2012 campaign
· 2014 Conference USA Newcomer of the Year Tomas Stillman
· 2011 Southland Student-Athlete of the Year Tyler Brown
· 19 all-conference selections, including seven first teamers
· 13 conference all-academic honorees