Danielle McNamara returns as Swensen-McMahon Head Coach of Women’s Tennis
Danielle McNamara, who led Yale to four NCAA Tournament appearances and four Ivy League titles as head coach from 2006 through 2014, is returning as the Swensen-McMahon Head Coach of Women’s Tennis.
In her first eight seasons as the Bulldogs’ head coach McNamara led Yale to an overall record of 124-49, including a 48-8 record in Ivy League matches. She also led Yale to four ECAC Indoor Team Championships.
McNamara was a two-time Wilson/ITA Northeast Region Coach of the Year, earning the honor in 2011 and 2013. In 2011, she led the Bulldogs to the first NCAA Tournament match win in school history. That season was also highlighted by an Ivy League Championship and the team’s third straight ECAC Indoor Team Championship. At one point in the spring of 2012 the Bulldogs were ranked No. 18 — the highest they had been ranked in the 30-year history of the ITA rankings. They added another NCAA Tournament match win that season, along with an Ivy League title and an ECAC Indoor Team Championship.
In addition to team success, the Bulldogs achieved many individual honors under McNamara. That included 23 All-Ivy League singles selections, 11 All-Ivy League doubles team selections, an Ivy League Player of the Year, and an Ivy League Rookie of the Year. Additionally, in the fall of 2010 Yale had a doubles team advance to the quarterfinals of the USTA/ITA National Indoor Championships for the first time in school history.
Yale excelled academically under McNamara, earning ITA All-Academic Team recognition for each of her last seven seasons. The Bulldogs had 26 ITA Scholar-Athlete selections and six Academic All-Ivy League honorees during her tenure. Community involvement was also a point of emphasis for the team, and for her efforts McNamara won the regional 2010 USTA/ITA Campus and Community Outreach Award.
McNamara’s coaching achievements came on the heels of a successful playing career. As a student-athlete at Michigan from 1996-2000 playing under her maiden name Danielle Lund, she was the Big Ten Sportswoman of the Year (1999) and All-Big Ten (1998).
