UW-RF hires new tennis coach

• Paul Mitchell

Falcon tennis coach Paul Mitchell

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Paul Mitchell has been named the head coach of the UW-River Falls women’s tennis team, UW-RF Athletic Director Roger Ternes announced last week.

“We are extremely pleased to have Paul as a member of the Falcon sports family,” said Ternes. “His energy and enthusiasm for tennis is contagious.”

Mitchell takes over the Falcon tennis program from Lee Lueck, who retired at the end of the 2010 season after 11 years at the helm.

Mitchell brings four years of college women’s tennis coaching experience to the Falcons. In 2006-07 he was the head coach at Winona State, where he led the Warriors to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference regular season championship. The Warriors finished 6-0 in NSIC play. He also was an assistant coach at UW-Stout for three years — from 2004-06.

“I’m really looking forward to being a part of the upcoming fall season of Falcon tennis,” said Mitchell. “Having a young team this year will give us the opportunity to develop into a contender within the WIAC.”

In June Mitchell was named the Sodexo operations manager for the Hazelden Treatment Center in Center City, Minn. From 2008-11 he was the Sodexo retail manager at UW-River Falls. He has been employed by Sodexo since 2006, and will continue working for Sodexo while coaching the Falcons.

Mitchell and his wife, Tina, live in New Richmond.

The Falcons open the 2011 season on Sept. 7 when they play at UW-Stout in the team’s WIAC opener.

Tags: uw river falls, sports, proam, falcons, tennis