STARKVILLE — Radka Ferancova was happy to learn that Mississippi State was bringing women”s tennis coach Daryl Greenan back to the Golden Triangle.
Ferancova believes Greenan has the experience necessary to lead the Lady Bulldogs in the Southeastern Conference and looks forward to playing for him as a senior.
Greenan, who got his first head coaching job at the Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, was an assistant at the University of Alabama for three years (2002-04).
“That”s a big plus because he knows the level of tennis in the conference and how tough it is,” Ferancova said. “This has to be the best tennis conference in the whole country. He knows how hard we have to work to get results. He has experience of coaching top teams.”
MSU athletic director Greg Byrne said Greenan”s reputation as an assistant at Alabama and as a head coach at Iowa was the attraction.
Greenan takes over the Lady Bulldogs after the resignation of Tracy Lane in August.
Greenan is happy to be back in the SEC and a part of what Byrne is building at MSU.
“There are good things happening here at Mississippi State,” Greenan said. “Greg Byrne has been here for a year and a half and there seems to be a lot of momentum here.”
Greenan was the coach at Iowa from 2004-09 and compiled a 64-51 record. He was chosen the 2006 Big 10 Coach of the Year.
Ferancova already has reason to love her new coach after being around him for two weeks.
“My first impression is really good,” Ferancova said.. “He seems to be a very nice person and he comes to practice with a smile on his face. He brings a lot of positive energy.
“He has come in very confident. The whole team is very excited about working with him.”
Greenan began his career as an assistant for men and women at his alma mater Valdosta (Ga.) State for two years (1997-98), then became the head coach at MUW (1998-2001) and had a 41-25 mark.
It was during his stint at MUW that he met his wife Shannon, of West Point.
Greenan knows he might not have had the opportunities at Iowa and MSU if it hadn”t been for MUW.
“Just having experience as a head coach, then getting to work in the SEC was a bit of a springboard to getting a head coaching job in a major conference like the Big 10 at Iowa,” Greenan said. “Ultimately, I knew I wanted to do the same sort of thing somewhere in the South so Mississippi State was always one we thought, partially because of location, would be a great job. It all worked together and I”ve come full circle.”
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