Sylvain Malroux Hometown: Narbonne, France Position: Asst Coach email address: smalrou@clemson.edu

Sylvain Malroux is entering the fourth year of his collegiate coaching career at Clemson University. A native of France, Malroux claims the city of Narbonne located in the southern region of Languedoc-Roussillon as his home.

In the last three seasons, Malroux has helped the Tigers improve from a final national ranking of 34th in 2002, to 19th in 2003, to fifth in 2004, which is the highest final national ranking in program history. He also helped guide Clemson to the NCAA Final Four in 2004, which was the first NCAA Final Four appearance for any women's team in Clemson athletics history. Malroux was named the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Southeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2004, garnering the award for the second consecutive season.

The Tigers have reached the NCAA Championships as a team all three years of Malroux's tenure at Clemson, advancing to the second round of the tournament in both 2002 and 2003 before reaching the national semi-finals in 2004. In addition, he has helped fellow-countrymen Julie Coin and Alix Lacelarie each make consecutive appearances at the NCAA Singles Championships, with Lacelarie making the tournament in 2002 and 2003, and Coin in 2003 and reaching the Final Four in 2004. He has also helped guide two Tiger doubles teams to the NCAA Doubles Championships in the past two seasons.

Malroux began his tennis career as a top-ranked junior and was a product of the French Federation Sports-Etudes, a tennis school for the elite athletes of France. His junior resume placed him as the number-one singles player from the Southern Region and included a top-eight ranking in France.

During his collegiate years, he earned top honors at Anderson College located in Anderson, SC. Leading his team at the number one singles and doubles positions for two consecutive years, Anderson College won two regional championships and advanced to the final 16 teams for NCAA Division II. Voted Most Valuable Player, first team all-conference and Most Outstanding Player in the conference, Malroux finished his career nationally ranked in the top 40 in singles and top 20 in doubles.

Malroux's ties to Anderson College introduced him to the upstate area of South Carolina where he became familiar with Clemson University. When he was offered the job by head coach Nancy Harris, he welcomed the opportunity to return to the area.

"When I got a call from Coach Harris to come to Clemson I knew it was the opportunity of a lifetime. Clemson is one of America's top universities. I believe a national tennis championship will be won here in the next few years and I want to help make it happen."

Malroux has earned the highly respected Federal CREPS diploma for teaching and coaching. This award recognizes outstanding professionals in the education of tennis from the country of France. His experiences include working with the French Federation, the French Army and various private clubs in France and Corsica. Malroux enjoys working with juniors and has been instrumental in the development of top players from France and Corsica.

Harris is grateful to have Malroux on her staff. "Sylvain is truly one of the finest assistant coaches I have ever worked with during my tenure as a head coach. He is caring, conscientious and a treasure of a human being," she said.

"We are privileged to have him coaching at Clemson as he contributes so much to our success on and off the court. As a head coach, I have great peace of mind going into every competition with Sylvain at my side. I believe he will achieve his goal of helping Clemson capture a national title in the near future."