Southern Miss Names Nathan Horner Men’s Tennis Coach
The University of Southern Mississippi has announced Nathan Horner as the school’s new head men’s tennis coach. The appointment was made by Athletic Director Jeremy McClain, who praised Horner’s track record of success and leadership.
Horner, the program’s 10th head coach, most recently served as the director of tennis at Marist College. There, he led the Red Foxes to a 15-6 record and was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Coach of the Year after guiding the team to its first regular season championship in over a decade. He also contributed to the women’s program, which finished with an 11-6 record and made the MAAC Championships for the first time since 2019, according to Marist.
During his tenure at Marist, Horner helped develop several top players and oversaw multiple all-academic honorees. He also coached an All-MAAC First Team singles player and multiple academic award recipients. Horner expressed enthusiasm for building the program at Southern Miss, stating he aims to develop a team capable of competing regionally and nationally.
Prior to Marist, Horner spent four seasons as head coach at Grove City College, where his teams compiled a 94-39 overall record. His women’s team won the Presidents’ Athletic Conference title in 2023-24 and advanced to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament multiple times. He also led the men’s team to conference titles in 2021 and 2022 and to the NCAA tournament.
Horner’s coaching career began as a volunteer assistant at the University of Delaware in 2019. He previously played collegiate tennis at Bridgewater College in Virginia, earning 79 wins and a degree in philosophy and religion. He has also worked as a tennis professional and youth ministry leader, gaining diverse experience in coaching and mentorship.
McClain expressed confidence in Horner’s ability to enhance the program, citing his desire to win and his impact on student-athletes. The university looks forward to working with him as he develops Southern Miss men’s tennis into a competitive program at the regional and national levels.
Source: Original Article
