Clemson, S.C. – Former Clemson women’s tennis All-American Julie Coin will be inducted into the school’s Ring of Honor this fall. The announcement was made by Ring of Honor Chairman Tim Bourret on July 12, 2023. The Ring of Honor is the highest award presented by the Clemson Athletic Department, as just 20 former student-athletes have earned the honor since its inaugural 1994 class. Coin was inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012, and is just the fifth woman and second women’s tennis player to earn the Ring of Honor distinction, joining Susan Hill.
More information on the award, its history and selection criteria are available here.
Coin was a three-time All-American (singles 2004, singles and doubles, 2005) for Nancy Harris’s Final Four teams of 2004 and 2005, the only Final Four teams in Clemson women’s athletics history. She was ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation in singles during her senior season. She was a three-time All-ACC selection and the 2004 ACC Player of the Year.
As a sophomore in 2003-04, she won the Frank Howard Award, the department-wide award for bringing honor to Clemson. The following year she won the IPTAY Athlete of the Year, another department-wide award that takes into account athletic and academic excellence.
Coin finished her career with a 101-20 singles record. Her .835 winning percentage is second to Susan Hill (the only other women’s tennis player in the Ring of Honor) among players who were on the Clemson team more than one year. She is the only Clemson women’s tennis player to reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Individual Singles Tournament twice. She finished 90-27 in doubles play for her three years.
In 2003 as a freshman, Coin was the 2003 ITA Southeast Region Doubles champion and was named All-ACC. She posted a 31-6 single record as Clemson’s #1 singles player.
In 2004, Coin won two individual ACC Championships, one in singles and one in doubles. She was named the MVP of the ACC. She finished the year as the eighth-ranked player in the nation in the final ITA poll and reached the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. Her 32-9 record included a 4-1 record in the NCAA Individual tournament.
That 2004 season, Clemson won the ACC Championship, had a 26-4 overall record, including a 7-0 mark in the ACC. The team was ranked fifth in the final poll, still the highest ranking in school history.
In her final season of 2005, Coin posted a 38-5 singles record, 32-8 in doubles. She was named an All-American in singles and doubles competition and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. She was ranked second in the final ITA Singles rankings and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
During her career, Clemson had a 67-19 overall record, including 22-3 in ACC play. Nineteen of the 67 wins came against top-25 competition.
Coin turned professional in 2005 and retired in 2016. Her most famous accomplishment as a professional took place at the 2008 US Open when, as the #188 ranked player in the world, she defeated #1 ranked Ana Ivanovic. She ranked has high as No. 49 in the world in doubles and participated in all four Grand Slam events.
Academically, Coin graduated with a degree in mathematics in just three years and was a three-time member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll, including 2003-04 when she was on the Dean’s List.
Coin lives in France where she is a teaching professional.
