Four-year women’s tennis standout and Class of 2000 graduate Tracy Mauntler is in the midst of her 15th season coaching for the women’s tennis team at the University of Toledo.

During her time as a Bison, the Clearfield, Pa. native propelled her team to the conference finals during her sophomore and junior seasons. Her outstanding work ethic and athleticism earned her captainship during her senior year, as well as the prestigious Coaches Award in 1999 and Leadership Award in 2000.

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in education, with a concentration in counseling, Mauntler returned as an assistant coach for the Orange and Blue during the 2000-01 season.

“I think when I graduated and left Bucknell I always thought that I would someday be a coach, but I just didn’t think it would happen as quickly as it did,” Mauntler said.

Following her brief coaching gig at her alma mater, Mauntler moved to Maryland, where she focused on teaching sixth-grade social studies and coaching the men’s and women’s varsity tennis teams at a local high school. She worked extensively with Tennis Camp Ltd. as a camp director in the summers of 2000-04, as well as with the Harford County Tennis Association. In 2003, Mauntler chose to apply for an opening for a coaching position at Lafayette College after Bison women’s tennis head coach Rebecca Helt encouraged her to do so.

“I definitely didn’t feel ready, but I ended up interviewing and making it to the final two. They chose someone with much more experience, but the AD at Lafayette was so positive with me and really pushed me to stick with it because he felt like coaching was the right path for me,” Mauntler said.

Later that year, the University of Toledo hired her, naming her head coach of the Division I women’s team at the age of 24. In the years since, the program has made tremendous strides under Mauntler’s guidance, setting a school record for wins in 2008 and appearing in the MAC Tournament Semifinals in 2007 and 2009.

The lessons, work ethic, and determination she developed as a student-athlete for the Bison is evident in her approach to coaching.

“As a player, I was a grinder. The kind of tennis player who ran every ball down and tried to get one more ball back into play to defeat my opponent. I was never the most talented or the player with the flashy shots. So I had to outwork my opponent to win. I feel like this is the way I coach.  So much of what I focus on with my players is consistency and mental toughness. We spend a lot of time talking about outworking your opponent and what that actually means,” Mauntler said.

Mauntler remains ambitious for the seasons to come, hoping to win the team’s first MAC championship within the next three years. She always looks to improve her own coaching skills while simultaneously working with her players to improve their skills.

“The best part about coaching at the college level is getting to work with student athletes and seeing the progress from their freshman year to when they graduate. I really enjoy the recruiting process as well, and this is where I feel that I’ve improved the most over the past 15 years. I realize how important it is to not only bring talented players onto the team, but student athletes who are unselfish, hard-working, good people,” Mauntler said. “I also love the competitive environment. There is nothing quite like the buzz of a college tennis match that is tied 3-3 and comes down to the last court.”

Off the court, Mauntler blends her tennis family with her own. She married former Toledo men’s golf coach Jamie Mauntler in January of 2007. They have three young boys: Jace, (8), Trey (3), and Brooks (1). Mauntler considers the team an extension of her family, and frequently welcomes players into her home. While Mauntler may have hung up her Orange and Blue uniform, she has never strayed from the sport she loves.