The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Klaic named Women's Tennis assistant coach
08.23.2005 | Women's Tennis
AUSTIN, Texas -- Darija Klaic, a former two-time All-American and assistant coach at The University of Washington, has been named assistant coach for The University of Texas women's tennis team. The announcement was made Tuesday by UT head coach Patty Fendick-McCain. Klaic, who served under Fendick-McCain last season at Washington, will begin her duties immediately.
Klaic joined Fendick-McCain's staff at Washington during the 2004 NCAA Championships and made an immediate impact, helping the Huskies to an NCAA quarterfinal appearance and a No. 9 final national rank. UW finished the 2005 season ranked 25th nationally.
Klaic entered the coaching ranks after completing a highly successful playing career at UW. The native of Zupanja, Croatia collected All-America doubles honors with Claire Carter in 2002 and 2003, registering season-ending rankings of Nos. 20 and 10, respectively.
Klaic totaled at least 20 doubles victories in three of her four seasons at UW and ranks first in UW season doubles wins and doubles winning percentage and second in career doubles victories. Klaic was a 2002 All-Pac 10 honorable mention selection and was a three-year member of the Pac-10 All-Academic Team. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in economics from UW in 2003 and was a five-time selection to the Dean's List.
Prior to her collegiate tennis career, Klaic starred in her native Croatia. She has a national clay-court championship to her credit. A member of the Croatian National Tennis Team from 1992-1999, Klaic helped Croatia to first place at the 1998 European U18 Team Championships. She also placed ninth at the 1997 NEC World Youth Cup and participated in several European individual championships and International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournaments.
"We're very excited to have Darija join us," said Fendick-McCain, who enters her first season at the helm of the Longhorns tennis program. "Her accomplishments as a player and her keen eye as a coach, as well as a recruiter, make her a tremendous asset for Texas Tennis."
