CLEMSON, S.C. — New Clemson women’s tennis Head Coach Boomer Saia has made two additions to his coaching staff. Ashleigh Antal and Tom Rees have been added as associate head coaches for the 2023-24 season, the team announced on Wednesday.
“I am elated to have Tom and Ashleigh join our Clemson Tiger Staff!” remarked Saia on the two new additions to his staff. “Both Tom and Ashleigh are outstanding coaches and even better people. With both having been successful head coaches – we will have one of the most experienced staffs in the country and I can’t wait to get to work!”
Antal has an illustrious resume as both a player and a coach. Graduating from Vanderbilt in 2016, she played four seasons with the Commodores and won the 2015 team National Championship. She was an ITA All-American in 2015 and served as the captain of her team from 2013-15.
Following her playing career, she began coaching women’s tennis at California State University Long Beach from 2018-2020, where her team won the 2019 Big West title.
In November of 2020, she took over as the head women’s tennis coach at Appalachian State. She led the team to its first NIT selection, marking the first time the program has played postseason.
“I would like to thank Coach Saia for the opportunity to join the Clemson family!” said Antal on her new role at Clemson. “It’s an honor to represent the Tigers and to help forward the tradition of excellence Clemson Athletics is accustomed to. I’m thrilled to be able to compliment Coach Saia’s vision of returning this program to championship contention, and to reach new heights with our fantastic group of student athletes.”
Rees played collegiately at UNC Asheville from 2009-2012 before playing on the ITF professional circuit from 2012-16. During that time, he also served as the assistant men’s and women’s tennis coach at University of North Georgia from 2012-14 and the head men’s and women’s tennis coach at University of Illinois Springfield.
Following his professional playing career, he accepted the head coaching position of the men’s and women’s teams at Lenoir-Rhyne University. He led both teams to their first ever national rankings.
In 2019, he became the assistant women’s tennis coach at Kansas State until June, 2021 when he took over as the head women’s tennis coach at Incarnate Word. There, he won the 2022 ITA Texas Regional Doubles Title to qualify for nationals, while also coaching the Southland Conference Player, Freshman and Newcomer of the Year.
“Firstly, I’d like to thank Boomer Saia for the opportunity to Coach at Clemson University,” began Rees. “It’s truly a special place, somewhere I firmly believe we can positively impact lives and achieve excellence in all areas of the program. I am fired up to be a Clemson Tiger and can’t get wait to get to work!”
Saia, Antal and Rees will take over for their first season leading the women’s tennis program in the 2023-24 season.
