The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Women's Tennis
Mark Tjia
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- marktjia@uab.edu
- Alma Mater:
- TCU '92
- Experience:
- 13th season
- Hometown:
- Gainesville, Fla.
Mark Tjia, a veteran tennis coach with 30Β years of coaching experience at multiple levels, was named UAB's head women's tennis coach on Jan. 17, 2014.
Β
Tjia has had great success at UAB along with the team, receiving notable recognition in Conference USA, the NCAA and the ITA.
Before Tjiaβs first season, the team had not won over a ranked opponent in seven years until they defeated No. 67 Northwestern State. Later that year, the Blazers defeated UTEP in the first round of the Conference USA Championship, which was the first time in nine years that they have won a match at the conference tournament.
Β
Under Tjiaβs leadership, Pardis Kianoush became the first Blazer to earn All-Conference USA First Team honors since 2001. During his fourth year at UAB, the team produced a Second Team All-Conference player in Marlene Herrmann, Jana Hecking became the 2nd First Team All-Conference Player in singles under his tutelage, while Adela Wasserbauerova was first Blazer to be voted to the All-Freshman Team. In 2020, Sydney Clarke was voted to the All-Freshman Team, and to the All-Conference Second Team in 2021. This past season, Adela Wasserbauerova was voted to the American Athletic Conference First Team and won the ITA Southern Regionβs Most Improved Player. This recently completed 2024 season saw the Blazers record a win over No. 58 Wichita State which is the highest ranked win in decades. The team finished in the top 10 in the Southern Region for the 3rd time in four years while also recording their 4th winning season in the past five years.Β
Β
Throughout Tjiaβs seasons as head coach, the team has also been widely recognized for their academic achievements and community service, winning theΒ ITA Community Service Award for the Southern Region eight years in a row from 2017-2024.
Β
UAB has also been named an ITA All-Academic Team ever season since 2015. The team has also consistently produced numerous ITA Scholar-Athletes since 2014.
Β
Tjia joined the Blazers after spending three and a half seasons as the assistant men's tennis coach at his alma mater, TCU. HeΒ was actively involved in all areas of the program at TCU, including recruiting, budgeting and travel, individual and team instruction and marketing. He played an instrumental role in helping rebuild a Horned Frog men's program that was ranked No. 52 when he arrived in the Fall of 2010 but finished the 2015 season as the No. 4 team in the country along with a Final Four showing.Β Tjia was named the 2012-13 ITA Texas Region Assistant Coach of the Year.
Β
Tjia joined TCU after serving as an assistant coach for the Florida women's tennis team that reached the final round at the NCAA Team Championship, won the SEC, and finished No. 2 in the nation. During his time in Gainesville, he also worked as the Head Tennis Professional at the 300 Swim & Tennis Club in Gainesville beginning in 1997.
Β
Tjia played at TCU from 1988-1992 during which the Horned Frogs made a Final Four appearance, made a final at the National Indoors, won three Southwest Conference Championships, and was ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation. After receiving his bachelor's degree in business administration from TCU in 1992, Tjia participated for several years on the ATP pro circuit. He achieved a high world ranking of No. 589 in singles in November 1994.
Β
After his playing days, Tjia served as a coach on the WTA TourΒ where he coached, practiced, and traveled with WTA No. 60 Shaun Stafford during a time period where she recorded threeΒ top 25 wins and made the quarterfinals of the Italian Open and the 3rdΒ round at Wimbledon.Β
Β
He has written and published the bookΒ "Loving the Battle!" - Tips to Improve Your Tennis Performance.
Tjia is married to Jenna Blythe-Tjia and they reside near downtown Birmingham with their dogs Sochi and Blazer.Β
Conference and Regional Honors/Awards Under Tjia
Β
Β
Tjia has had great success at UAB along with the team, receiving notable recognition in Conference USA, the NCAA and the ITA.
Before Tjiaβs first season, the team had not won over a ranked opponent in seven years until they defeated No. 67 Northwestern State. Later that year, the Blazers defeated UTEP in the first round of the Conference USA Championship, which was the first time in nine years that they have won a match at the conference tournament.
Β
Under Tjiaβs leadership, Pardis Kianoush became the first Blazer to earn All-Conference USA First Team honors since 2001. During his fourth year at UAB, the team produced a Second Team All-Conference player in Marlene Herrmann, Jana Hecking became the 2nd First Team All-Conference Player in singles under his tutelage, while Adela Wasserbauerova was first Blazer to be voted to the All-Freshman Team. In 2020, Sydney Clarke was voted to the All-Freshman Team, and to the All-Conference Second Team in 2021. This past season, Adela Wasserbauerova was voted to the American Athletic Conference First Team and won the ITA Southern Regionβs Most Improved Player. This recently completed 2024 season saw the Blazers record a win over No. 58 Wichita State which is the highest ranked win in decades. The team finished in the top 10 in the Southern Region for the 3rd time in four years while also recording their 4th winning season in the past five years.Β
Β
Throughout Tjiaβs seasons as head coach, the team has also been widely recognized for their academic achievements and community service, winning theΒ ITA Community Service Award for the Southern Region eight years in a row from 2017-2024.
Β
UAB has also been named an ITA All-Academic Team ever season since 2015. The team has also consistently produced numerous ITA Scholar-Athletes since 2014.
Β
Tjia joined the Blazers after spending three and a half seasons as the assistant men's tennis coach at his alma mater, TCU. HeΒ was actively involved in all areas of the program at TCU, including recruiting, budgeting and travel, individual and team instruction and marketing. He played an instrumental role in helping rebuild a Horned Frog men's program that was ranked No. 52 when he arrived in the Fall of 2010 but finished the 2015 season as the No. 4 team in the country along with a Final Four showing.Β Tjia was named the 2012-13 ITA Texas Region Assistant Coach of the Year.
Β
Tjia joined TCU after serving as an assistant coach for the Florida women's tennis team that reached the final round at the NCAA Team Championship, won the SEC, and finished No. 2 in the nation. During his time in Gainesville, he also worked as the Head Tennis Professional at the 300 Swim & Tennis Club in Gainesville beginning in 1997.
Β
Tjia played at TCU from 1988-1992 during which the Horned Frogs made a Final Four appearance, made a final at the National Indoors, won three Southwest Conference Championships, and was ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation. After receiving his bachelor's degree in business administration from TCU in 1992, Tjia participated for several years on the ATP pro circuit. He achieved a high world ranking of No. 589 in singles in November 1994.
Β
After his playing days, Tjia served as a coach on the WTA TourΒ where he coached, practiced, and traveled with WTA No. 60 Shaun Stafford during a time period where she recorded threeΒ top 25 wins and made the quarterfinals of the Italian Open and the 3rdΒ round at Wimbledon.Β
Β
He has written and published the bookΒ "Loving the Battle!" - Tips to Improve Your Tennis Performance.
Tjia is married to Jenna Blythe-Tjia and they reside near downtown Birmingham with their dogs Sochi and Blazer.Β
Conference and Regional Honors/Awards Under Tjia
- 2014
- Pardis Kianoush -Β Third Team Singles
- Rachel DaniellΒ - Conference USA All-Academic
- Rachel DaniellΒ -Β Conference USA Academic Medal
- Caroline FaughtΒ -Β Conference USA Academic Medal
- Rachel DaniellΒ - Conference USA Spirit of Service Award
- NCAAΒ Public Recognition Award
- Conference USA Sport Academic Award
- 2015
- Pardis Kianoush -Β Third Team Singles
- Rachel DaniellΒ - Conference USA All-Academic
- Rachel DaniellΒ - CoSidaΒ District VI Academic All-America
- Rachel DaniellΒ - ITA Arthur Ashe Jr. Sportsmanship & Leadership Award Southern Region
- Amy LowtherΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Caroline FaughtΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Catherine RagonΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Elaine SimonΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Pardis KianoushΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Paula CastroΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Rachel DaniellΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Catherine RagonΒ -Β Conference USA Spirit of Service Award
- Rachel DaniellΒ -Β Conference USAΒ Postgraduate Scholarship
- ConferenceΒ USA Sport Academic Award
- ITA All-Academic Team
- NCAAΒ Public Recognition Award
- 2016
- Pardis Kianoush -Β Third Team Singles
- Sophie DoddsΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Pardis KianoushΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Amy LowtherΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Catherine RagonΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- McKenna RootΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Elaine SimonΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Elaine Simon -Β Conference USAΒ Postgraduate Scholarship
- ITA All-Academic Team
- 2017
- Pardis Kianoush -Β First Team Singles
- Sophie DoddsΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Taylor FactorΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Pardis KianoushΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Reghan LynchΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- McKenna RootΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Hana SisirakΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Natalie VossΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Catherine Ragon - Conference USAΒ Postgraduate Scholarship
- ITA All-Academic Team
- ITA Southern Region Community Service AwardΒ
- 2018
- Marlene Herrmann - SecondΒ Team Singles
- Marlene HerrmannΒ - March 14 Athlete of the Week
- Megan BertrandsΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Sophie DoddsΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Sophia GrzywoczΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Jana HeckingΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Marlene HerrmannΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Dominika HrabalovaΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Hana SisirakΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- Natalie VossΒ -Β ITA Scholar Athlete
- ITA All-Academic Team
- ITA Southern Region Community Service AwardΒ
- 2019
- ITA Southern Region Community Service AwardΒ
- ITA All-Academic Award
- Megan Bertrands - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Sophie Dodds - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Sonia Grzywocz - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Jana Hecking - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Dominika Hrabalova - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Hana Sisirak. - ITA Scholar Athlete
- 2020
- ITA Southern Region Community Service AwardΒ
- ITA All-Academic Award
- National runner-up in the 2020 Helper Helper Team Challenge
- Jana Hecking - First Team Singles
- Adela WasserbauerovaΒ -Β All-Freshman Team
- Jana Hecking -Β CoSIDA District 4 Academic All-District At-Large Team
- C-USAΒ Academic Excellence Award
- Megan Bertrands - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Sonia Grzywocz - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Jana Hecking
- Dominika Hrabalova - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Alexandra ShchipakinaΒ - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Hana Sisirak. - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Adela Wasserbauerova - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Alexia WitthausΒ - ITA Scholar Athlete
- 2021
- FinishedΒ No. 9 in Oracle/ITA Southern Region rankings.
- No. 18 in the TennisRecruiting.net Top 25 Mid-Major Recruiting Classes
- ITA Southern Region Community Service AwardΒ
- ITA All-Academic Award
- Jana Hecking - Jim Castañeda Conference USA Postgraduate Scholarship Award
- Dominika Hrabalova -Β Second Team Singles
- Sydney Clarke -Β All-Freshman Team
- Megan BertrandsΒ - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Sydney ClarkeΒ - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Sonia GrzywoczΒ - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Jana HeckingΒ - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Dominika HrabalovaΒ - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Annalisa SmithΒ - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Adela WasserbauerovaΒ - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Maggie WhiteΒ - ITA Scholar Athlete
- 2022
- ITA Southern Region Community Service AwardΒ
- ITA All-Academic Award
- Third in the nation among Β women's tennis teams in Helper Helper Team Challenge
- Sydney Clarke - Conference USA Second-Team Singles
- Jana Hecking - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Vanessa Mellynchuk - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Enya RatkicΒ - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Annalisa SmithΒ - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Adela WasserbauerovaΒ - ITA Scholar AthleteΒ
- Mackenzie White - ITA Scholar Athlete
- Maggie White - ITA Scholar Athlete Β
- 2023
- ITA All-Academic Team Award
- ITA Southern Region Community Service Award
- Annalisa Smith β ITA Cissie Leary Award Southern Division
- Vanessa Mellynchuk β ITA Scholar Athlete andΒ C-USA Commissionerβs Honor Roll
- Enya Ratkic β ITA Scholar Athlete and C-USA Commissionerβs Honor Roll
- Annalisa Smith β ITA Scholar Athlete,Β C-USA All-Academic,Β C-USA Academic Medal andΒ C-USA Commissionerβs Honor Roll
- Adela Wasserbauerova - ITA Scholar Athlete,Β C-USA Commissionerβs Honor Roll andΒ C-USA Academic Medal
- Maggie White β ITA Scholar Athlete,Β C-USA Commissionerβs Honor Roll andΒ C-USA Academic Medal
- Sydney Clarke β C-USA Spirit of Service Award andΒ C-USA Commissionerβs Honor Roll
- Alexandra da Silva β C-USA Commissionerβs Honor Roll
- Mackenzie White β C-USA Commissionerβs Honor Roll
- 2024
- ITA Southern Region Community Service Award
- Ranked No. 10 in the ITA Division l Mid-Major and Regional Rankings
- Adela Wasserbauerova β ITA Southern Region Cissie Leary Sportsmanship Award,Β ITA Southern Region Most Improved Player, AAC All-Conference Team and ranked No. 18 in the ITA Division l Mid-Major and Regional Rankings
- Sydney Clarke β AAC All-Academic Team
- Klara Kajabova β AAC All-Academic Team
- Vanessa Mellynchuk β AAC All-Academic Team
- Enya Ratkic β AAC All-Academic Team
- Annalisa Smith β AAC All-Academic Team
- Adela Wasserbaurova β AAC All-Academic Team
- Mackenzie White β AAC All-Academic Team
- 2025
- Ranked No. 9 in the ITA Division l Mid-Major and Regional RankingsΒ
- Ranked No. 68 in the ITA rankings on February 20
- ITA All-Academic Team AwardΒ
- Vanessa Mellynchuk β ITA Ann Lebedeff Leadership Award FinalistΒ
- Gresi Bajri β ITA All-Academic Scholar Athlete
- Kristyna Damaskova β ITA All-Academic Scholar Athlete
- Klara Kajabova β ITA All-Academic Scholar Athlete
- Vanessa Mellynchuk β ITA All-Academic Scholar Athlete
- Maria Paz Ospina β ITA All-Academic Scholar Athlete
- Enya Ratkic β ITA All-Academic Scholar Athlete
- Nera Tesankic β ITA All-Academic Scholar Athlete
- Mackenzie White β ITA All-Academic Scholar Athlete
Β
Tjia's Career Record
Β| Season | Team | Overall | Conf. | Finish |
| 2014 | UAB | 9-15 | 1-4 | C-USA Second Round |
| 2015 | UAB | 7-13 | 3-3 | C-USA First Round |
| 2016 | UAB | 7-15 | 0-1 | C-USA First Round |
| 2017 | UAB | 5-15 | 0-3 | C-USA First Round |
| 2018 | UAB | 12-11 | 1-2 | C-USA First Round |
| 2019 | UAB | 6-14 | 2-2 | C-USA First Round |
| 2020 | UAB | 11-4 | 1-0 | Season canceled March 12 |
| 2021 | UAB | 14-7 | 3-1 | C-USA Second Quarterfinals |
| 2022 | UAB | 12-11 | 3-2 | C-USA Second Quarterfinals |
| 2023 | UAB | 9-10 | 2-2 | C-USA First Round |
| 2024 | UAB | 13-11 | 1-2 | AAC Second Round |
| 2025 | UAB | 14-9 | 1-2 | AAC First Round |
| Totals | UAB (12 seasons) | 119-135 | 18-24 |
Saturday, June 06
Friday, June 05
Friday, June 05
Thursday, June 04
