Women's Tennis Coach Judy Auld Retires After 30 Years and 400 Wins
06/08/2004 | 12:00:00 | Women's Tennis
June 8, 2004
By Tom Weber
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - After 30 years and more than 400 wins, Saluki women's tennis coach Judy Auld announced her retirement Tuesday. She has been a part of the Saluki family since 1969, when she first competed as a four-sport star at SIU.
Auld was named women's tennis coach in the spring of 1975 and posted a 405-332 record in 30 seasons. She capped off her career last spring by recording her 400th win en route to an 11-12 record in 2004.
Auld said she originally planned to coach for just a few years, but enjoyed the experience so much, she made it her career.
"The decision to retire was not difficult," she said. "But having to tell my players was. They're the reason I've stayed in coaching so long. I get back so much from them. They're like an extended family."
Among her many remarkable achievements as a coach, she posted six, 20-win seasons, produced 32 league champions in singles and doubles, and contributed 44 all-conference honorees.
Under Auld, the Salukis won Gateway Conference Championships in 1983 and 1985. In 1988, she was named the Gateway Coach-of-the-Year after guiding her team to a second place league finish.
"Judy has devoted her entire career to coaching Saluki student-athletes," director of athletics Paul Kowalczyk said. "We are grateful for her many years of loyal service. Judy's impact on her players' lives has been immeasurable, and she will be greatly missed. She will always be a part of the Saluki family, and we wish her well in her future endeavors."
Auld's extraordinary accomplishments as a student-athlete helped pave the way for her coaching success. From 1969-72, the Decatur, Ill., native starred in four sports for the Salukis.
In tennis, she won an Illinois sectional title and was invited to the National Championships in 1970 and 1972. In basketball, she was on three state title-winning teams and was a sophomore guard on the 1970 SIU team that finished fifth at Nationals. In softball, she was a standout third-basemen for the 1971 Salukis who finished fourth at the Women's College World Series. Auld also was a member and captain of the field hockey team in her senior year. In 1993, Auld was inducted into the Saluki Sports Hall of Fame.
Auld said she plans to stay in the area and spend more time with her family and on her many hobbies, which include landscaping, biking and horseback riding. She said she will also continue to give tennis lessons.
"I still enjoy working with student-athletes," Auld said. "But the timing just seemed right. I feel like I'm leaving a program on the upswing. We have a good group coming back, and a good group coming in. I think a new coach can come in and take the program to another level."