| Sheila McInerney |
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Sheila McInerney enters her 23rd season at the helm of the Sun Devil program after leading her team to its ninth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2005. McInerney has led the Sun Devils to 18 NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances, and eight quarterfinal appearances in her tenure. She has made the NCAA tournament in 21 of her 22 seasons.
The 2006 Sun Devils finished the year 13-9 and to the NCAA Tournament.
Despite fielding such a young team in 2004 (five freshmen) and facing arguably the strongest non-conference schedule in her tenure -- 16 of ASU's 20 opponents earned NCAA bids with six advancing to the Round of 16, while 10 of ASU's opponents were currently in the top-25, including seven of the top-12 teams -- McInerney's team posted two upset wins in reaching the NCAA Sweet 16, defeating No. 19 LSU (4-1) in first round play and pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the NCAA Tournament by shutting out Texas (4-0), the region's top-seed and 12th-ranked team in the country.
The 2003 season saw McInerney accomplish another milestone in her illustrious career, earning her 300th career win. She also coached another player to All-American acclaim and helped place four players on the Pac-10 All-Academic teams, tying a school record for most student-athletes selected. McInerney's knowledge of the game was evident in helping Adria Engel end her four-year career as the school's all-time wins leader (130) and a No. 6 final national ranking.
In 2002, McInerney tutored junior Adria Engel to her third straight All-American honor in singles and second straight NCAA quarterfinal singles finish. Engel and junior Dora Krstulovic then paired up to take All-American honors in doubles, finished the year ninth in the country. In addition, McInerney placed two players, junior Mhairi Brown and Megan Yeats, on the Pac-10 Academic team, while Brown also garnered Academic All-American honors.
Sun Devil highlights from 2001 include a 20-6 overall record (McInerney's third 20-plus win season and her highest winning percentage as a head coach (.769), an All-American selection, an All-Conference selection, the school's first Pacific-10 Conference singles champion, four players earning national rankings, and three academic All-Conference honorees. Arizona State ended the year as the seventh best team in the country.
Additionally, McInerney was selected as the head coach of the 2001-2002 USA Tennis Collegiate team. The USA Tennis Collegiate team, an elite training program for the top American collegiate tennis players, is administered by the USTA and ITA.
In 1997, McInerney was honored as the Wilson/ITA National Coach of the Year. She guided the Sun Devils to a 15-7 record and finished the season with a No. 7 national ranking. She also garnered 1997 Pacific-10 Conference Coach of the Year honors.
Three times in 1988, 1990 and 2001, McInerney was selected as the West Region Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year and was a finalist for national coach of the year honors. In addition to producing some of the top student-athletes in the Pac-10, McInerney continues to lead her Sun Devil teams into the NCAA Tournament year-after-year.
Evidence of the program's academic status can be found in the Pac-10 All-Academic teams the past 12 seasons. ASU has had at least one member honored in each of those past years and averages nearly three honorees per season, including tying the school record with four selections in 2003.
McInerney, who owns a career record of 309-194, posted three 20-win seasons (1986, '90, '01) to her credit and guided the Sun Devils to 17 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Further testament to the program's stability under McInerney, ASU has advanced to the NCAA postseason as a team in 19 of her 20 years. The Sun Devils have reached the NCAA quarterfinals eight times under McInerney and have finished in the top-10 five of the past eight seasons, and an astounding 13 times in her 20 seasons. McInerney has tutored 23 Sun Devil All-Americans and 13 different all-conference players.
McInerney's presence is felt off the court as well, earning the 2004 USTA/ITA Community Service Award for the Southwest section. The award honors McInerney for her significant contributions in developing community-based tennis programs through community centers, schools, parks, community tennis associations, the inner city, suburban and rural programs. Additionally, she also boasts a six-year tenure (1987-92) on the NCAA tournament selection committee.
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. McInerney also has international coaching experience. At the 1986 Goodwill Games, McInerney coached former All-Americans Caroline Kuhlman and Beverly Bowes to gold and silver medals, respectively. 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 Los Angeles 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.
McInerney at Arizona State
| Year | Record | Pct. |
| 2005 | 11-8 | .579 |
| 2004* | 8-15 | .348 |
| 2003* | 11-11 | .500 |
| 2002* | 15-8 | .652 |
| 2001** | 20-6 | .769 |
| 2000** | 15-8 | .652 |
| 1999* | 14-8 | .636 |
| 1998* | 13-7 | .650 |
| 1997** | 15-7 | .681 |
| 1996 | 12-11 | .522 |
| 1995** | 15-9 | .625 |
| 1994* | 10-11 | .471 |
| 1993** | 15-10 | .600 |
| 1992** | 18-8 | .692 |
| 1991* | 19-10 | .655 |
| 1990* | 20-10 | .667 |
| 1989* | 19-11 | .633 |
| 1988** | 17-11 | .697 |
| 1987 | 15-12 | .556 |
| 1986** | 21-7 | .750 |
| 1985* | 17-14 | .548 |
| Career | 320-202 | .613 |
*NCAA Round of 16
**NCAA Quarterfinalist
