Caroline Lilley Hired As Gonzaga Women's Tennis Assistant
7/11/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
SPOKANE, Wash. - Caroline Lilley, a former collegiate standout at Georgia Tech University, has been hired by Gonzaga University women's tennis coach D.J. Gurule to be the first fulltime assistant coach for the program.
Lilley last served as a volunteer assistant at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.
"We are very fortunate and excited to add Caroline to the staff," Gurule said. "Her experience and enthusiasm will positively help our program. Her personality and work ethic are a perfect match for the Gonzaga athletic department. I know the team can't wait to meet and start working with her."
Although Lilley will join the Bulldogs from the Midwest, she is very familiar with the Northwest as a Portland, Ore., native.
"I consider myself blessed to have the opportunity to join the Gonzaga family," Lilley said. "Having grown up in the Pacific Northwest, it is nothing short of a privilege to return as the assistant women's coach."
Lilley will bring with her a wealth of experience as both a coach and a player. With the Boilermaker's in 2012-2013, the squad reached the second round of the NCAA tournament for the second time in school history. In addition, the team achieved a national ranking as high as No. 14, also the highest in school history.
National recognition continued to follow Lilley as she was ranked in both singles and doubles competition with highs of No. 67 and No. 6, respectively. Her four years of collegiate tennis was split between University of Kentucky and Georgia Tech.
As a senior at Georgia Tech, Lilley helped the club take down an eighth ranked University of Alabama squad 4-3 with a third set come-from-behind thriller. Lilley claimed the final four games to earn her team the victory. As a junior, she posted a personal best 26-12 record.
Graduating with a business administration degree with a concentration in finance, Lilley left Georgia Tech with the second-best doubles winning percentage of any player. She compiled an impressive 38-17 record including a 20-7 mark in dual match play for a 69.1 winning percentage.
Lilley will now focus on helping the Bulldogs with her all her successes in tow.
"I want to thank coach Gurule and everyone involved in the hiring process," Lilley said. "I cannot wait to start working with the team. With a new facility and continued support from the athletic department, I am very excited about the bright future of the Gonzaga tennis program."
