-- FEATURE: Head coach Sheila McInerney continues to dominate college tennis after 40 years
--2020 Highlight: Sun Devils knock of No. 9 Vanderbilt at ITA National Indoors (Jan. 25, 2020)
--FEATURE LINK: Tempe’s Tennis Legend (by Matthew Wall/Nov. 30, 2017)
--Coach Sheila through the 2019-20 season has coached 25 Sun Devils to 49 All-America honors. Check out all the Sun Devil women's tennis All-Americans here.
-- 'Arizona State has treated me very well': She's been women's tennis coach for 40 years
--Click here for a listing of all Sun Devil head coaches in all sports through the years.
In the past 39 years, Sheila McInerney has seen a vast amount of change at Arizona State, from new athletic directors, new head coaches, schools added to the conference, and numerous renovations to athletic facilities. Through the countless changes across Arizona State, McInerney has continued to lead the women’s tennis program in a successful direction heading into her 39th season in 2022-23 after being hired on Aug. 16, 1984.
In Arizona State’s history, no coach has the amount of accolades that Sheila McInerney has accumulated during her 39-year tenure as a Sun Devil. Since her first season as head coach in 1985, Sun Devil women’s tennis has won 574 matches, advanced to 36 of 37 NCAA Tournaments (no championship season in 2020), including 35 straight, and has finished each season in the top-40 nationally. McInerney has twice been named both the Southwest Region Coach of the Year by the ITA as well as the Pac-12 Coach of the Year in the same season (2016, 2022). In 2016, she also was awarded the ITA Meritorious Service Award, which is given to an ITA coach who has gone "above and beyond" in their commitment and contributions to the ITA and college tennis in general.
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| McInerney By the Numbers |
| • 49 All-America Honors (by 25 Sun Devils) |
| • 100+ wins vs ranked teams since 2008 |
| • 38 Top-50 singles players in final rankings |
| • 51 All-Pac-12 Honors |
| • 20 top-25 doubles tandems in final rankings |
| • 52 ITA Scholar-Athletes since 2002 |
| • 84 Academic All-Pac-12 since 1991 |
| • 13 Top 10 finishes in Season-End Team Ranking |
| • 19 Top 20 finishes in Season-End Team Ranking |
| • 35-straight NCAA Tournament Appearances |
| • 8 NCAA Quarterfinals |
| • 18 NCAA Sweet Sixteen’s |
| • Sixth coach in ASU history to eclipse 500 wins |
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In recent years, Arizona State’s tennis program has continued to thrive on and off the court. On the court, the Sun Devils have over 100 wins against ranked opponents since 2008. Leading the way for the tennis program have been 49 All-Americans and 51 All-Pac-12 student-athletes. Of these integral players in Arizona State’s history, there have been 40 players ranked in the Top 50 of the singles season-end ranking and 21 in the Top 25 of the doubles season-end ranking.
In the classroom, McInerney has recruited bright student-athletes. She has had four Academic All-Americans, 52 ITA Scholar-Athletes (since 2002), and 84 Academic All-Pac 12 student-athletes (since 1991). Of those 52 ITA Scholar-Athletes, four were named in 2015 – Alexandra Osborne, Aubria Solares, Gussie O'Sullivan and Kassidy Jump. Her players have had majors such as Bioscience, Business Management, Criminal Justice and Criminology, English, Journalism, Kinesiology, Marketing, Political Science, and Sociology.
McInerney has also been fundamental in helping players’ development to reach high achievements in the NCAA. Among the achievements include, Lauryn John-Baptiste and Ilze Hattingh earning back-to-back All-America honors in doubles, Jacqueline Cako named Arizona State Female Athlete of the Year (2013), Michelle Brycki awarded Cissie Leary ITA National Sportsmanship Award (2012), Kelcy McKenna selected as the Pac-12 Post-Graduate Scholar (2011), four singles and four doubles All-Americans since 2009, 18 players ranked in the singles season-end ranking and nine doubles teams ranked in the doubles season-end ranking since 2009.
Prior to coming to Arizona State, McInerney served as assistant women's tennis coach at the University of Southern California during the 1983-84 season, in which the Trojans were NCAA finalists. In addition to her success as a collegiate coach, McInerney has traveled with various USTA junior and national teams. At the 1986 Goodwill Games, McInerney coached the team to gold and silver medals. In 1987, she led the U.S. Pan American Games doubles squad to a gold medal.
McInerney attended USC, where she captained the Trojans during her senior season. The four-time All-American also was a four-time Trojan Spirit Award winner, as voted by her teammates. The Trojans won three national championships during McInerney's collegiate career, and she was the national collegiate doubles runner-up three times and a singles semifinalist in 1977. McInerney collected a half-dozen USTA national titles and was a member of the 1977-80 USTA Junior Federation Cup team. As a professional, she played on the major international tour, earning a world ranking in the top 75. McInerney competed at three grand slam venues -- Wimbledon, French Open and the U.S. Open where she reached the round of 32. She also served a short term as assistant pro at the highly acclaimed L.A. Tennis Club.
McInerney earned a bachelor's degree in public relations from the University of Southern California in 1980. A member of the Dean's List at USC, she won the USC Postgraduate Scholarship Award, the USC Junior Student-Athlete and Senior Student-Athlete awards.
Coach Sheila McInerney Dual Meet Record at Arizona State
| Year |
Record |
| 2024 |
15-10 |
| 2023 |
17-7 |
| 2022 |
17-8 |
| 2021 |
15-9 |
| 2020 |
12-5 |
| 2019 |
14-11 |
| 2018 |
16-8 |
| 2017 |
14-8 |
| 2016 |
18-6 |
| 2015 |
15-8 |
| 2014 |
18-8 |
| 2013 |
17-6 |
| 2012 |
11-10 |
| 2011 |
15-7 |
| 2010 |
14-6 |
| 2009 |
12-9 |
| 2008 |
15-8 |
| 2007 |
13-10 |
| 2006 |
13-9 |
| 2005 |
11-8 |
| 2004* |
8-15 |
| 2003* |
11-11 |
| 2002* |
15-8 |
| 2001** |
20-6 |
| 2000** |
15-8 |
| 1999* |
14-8 |
| 1998* |
13-7 |
| 1997** |
15-7 |
| 1996 |
12-11 |
| 1995** |
15-9 |
| 1994* |
10-11 |
| 1993** |
15-10 |
| 1992** |
18-8 |
| 1991* |
19-10 |
| 1990* |
20-10 |
| 1989* |
19-11 |
| 1988** |
17-11 |
| 1987 |
15-12 |
| 1986** |
21-7 |
| 1985* |
17-14 |
| Career |
589-350 (.628) |
*NCAA Round of 16
**NCAA Quarterfinalist
