Howard Joffe Tabbed Miami University Women's Tennis Head Coach
6/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
June 28, 2007
OXFORD, Ohio--After helping the University of Southern California women's tennis program to a top-10 national ranking each of the last five years, including a No. 5 national ranking this year, USC assistant coach Howard Joffe will take over the reins of the Miami University women's tennis program, Miami University Athletics Director Brad Bates announced today (June 28).
"I'd like to express my enormous gratitude to Brad Bates, the athletic department and Miami University for giving me the fantastic opportunity to lead the women's tennis program," said Joffe. "I'm thrilled, honored and excited to return to the Miami Valley and to become part of this driven, enthusiastic and warm family."
Joffe, an Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-American at Pepperdine University and former professional tennis player, becomes the RedHawks' seventh women's tennis head coach after a five-year stint at USC. While with the Trojans, Joffe was twice named ITA West Region Assistant Coach of the Year, earning the honor in 2003-04 and 2005-06. He was the runner up for ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year in 2005-06.
"Howard is extremely talented and gifted, " said USC head women's tennis coach Richard Gallien. "I am very happy for the student-athletes on his team at Miami because they are going to have a marvelous coach and one who will really ensure that their athletic and academic experience will be fruitful and memorable."
After a three-year stint at Pepperdine (1990-92), Joffe spent three years in the professional ranks before embarking on a coaching career which has taken him to two continents and spanned nearly 12 years. A native of Johannesburg, South Africa, Joffe is familiar with the Midwest after having served as a teaching professional and director of tennis at Kettering Tennis Center and Quail Run Racquet Clubs in Dayton, Ohio, from 1999 to 2001.
Prior to his return to the United States in 1999, Joffe spent four years mentoring young tennis players in Johannesburg. He established the Joffe-Wheeler Tennis Academy in Johannesburg, coached and managed the Gauteng Central Junior Tennis Team, was appointed the Gauteng Central Tennis Coach and served as head coach at Rand Afrikaanse University.
"Howard brings a wealth of experience from institutions that highly value the intellectual and athletic excellence of students," said Bates. "His intelligence, competitiveness, wit, teaching and recruiting experiences--combined with his Midwestern background--makes him as an extraordinary fit for one of our historically, most accomplished programs. He is highly regarded in the tennis community, and we are extremely fortunate to have Howard lead our program."
"Miami's tennis program is analogous to a blue chip stock with enormous potential," said Joffe. "Academically, Miami has earned a top reputation both regionally and nationally. Aesthetically, the campus rivals any that I have seen, and it affords its students a healthy and safe environment in which to pursue their social, academic and athletic interests. Competitively, I intend to work with our players and the athletic department to realize the vast potential of this school and its tennis program."
Miami's women's tennis program has captured a league-best 15 Mid-American Conference championships since 1980-81, including a string of nine consecutive league titles over the first nine years the MAC sponsored women's tennis.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT HOWARD JOFFE:
Brad Bates, Miami University Athletics Director:
"Howard brings a wealth of experience from institutions that highly value the intellectual and athletic excellence of students. His intelligence, competitiveness, wit, teaching and recruiting experiences--combined with his Midwestern background--makes him as an extraordinary fit for one of our historically, most accomplished programs. He is highly regarded in the tennis community, and we are extremely fortunate to have Howard lead our program."
Richard Gallien, USC Head Women's Tennis Coach:
"First and foremost, I am enormously disappointed to lose Howard because he is a great coach but he's also been a great friend. However, I am enormously happy for him with this new opportunity. Howard is extremely talented and gifted. I am also very happy for the student-athletes on his team at Miami because they are going to have a marvelous coach and one who will really ensure that their athletic and academic experience will be fruitful and memorable."
Geoff Macdonald, Vanderbilt Head Women's Tennis Coach
"I think Howard is a great hire for Miami University. He played at a very high level and has coached at a very high level at USC. Howard is an outstanding teacher and mentor. I think he will do a great job at Miami."
THE HOWARD JOFFE FILE:USC Women's Tennis Assistant Coach (2002-07) Helped the Trojans to top-10 national rankings each season USC was ranked fifth nationally in 2007 Named ITA West Region Assistant Coach of the Year (2003-04; 2005-06) Runner up for ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year (2005-06)Director of Tennis at KTC/Quail Inc. Tennis Clubs (2000-01)Teaching Professional at KTC/Quail Inc Tennis Clubs (1999)USTA AREA Training Center Tennis Coach (2000-01) Coached the top 14 and under boys and girls in DaytonEstablished Joffe-Wheeler Tennis Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa (1995-99)Coached and managed Gauteng Central Junior Tennis Team (1998)Appointed the Gauteng Central Tennis Coach (1998)Named head tennis coach at Rand Afrikaanse University (1997)Professional tennis player (1992-95) Attained an ATP tour ranking (top 450) in singles and doubles Sixth-highest ranked South African player in the ATP in 1992Pepperdine University (1990-92) ITA All-American in singles (1992) West Coast Conference Singles Champion (1992) Advanced to the NCAA Singles Championship Semifinals (1992) Led Pepperdine to three consecutive West Coast Conference titles (1990, `91, `92)No. 2 ranked junior tennis player in South Africa (1989)Won a gold medal in singles and silver medal in doubles at the 1989 Maccabie Games in TelAviv, Israel
Education Earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from USC (2006) Completed two and a half years of undergraduate work at Pepperdine (1990-92) Earned an ITF Tennis Coaching Diploma (1995) Graduated from King David High School--Johannesburg, South Africa (1989)
