VWC Names Kahn as Tennis Director

Succeeds Early as Head of Both Programs

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. --- One of the oldest athletic programs at Virginia Wesleyan College will have one of the newest head coaches when practices resume this month.

Ed Kahn, a well-known individual in the Hampton Roads tennis loop for nearly 30 years, has been named the Director of Tennis by VWC Athletic Director Joanne Renn.  Kahn is no stranger to the Marlins' men's and women's programs as he was on staff last season as the assistant coach.  He now takes over the Director's spot vacated by former head mentor Frank Early, who left the College to pursue personal interests.

"We were fortunate to have Frank as our tennis director for two years," said Renn, who was the VWC women's tennis coach from 1995 through 1999.  "I don't think we've ever had a better tactician in tennis in VWC history.  Frank was the utmost professional and was a great academic coach.  He cared about our student-athletes in the classroom, as well as on the courts.  "But, now we have a new director, with his own set of strengths, and we're looking forward to having Ed here for a long time.  He knows his stuff and is a strong recruiter."

Kahn developed the "Play Tennis Portsmouth" program, an instructional program for the Portsmouth Parks and Leisure Department.  It  was implement in 2008.  He has conducted lessons and clinics for groups and for individuals ages 9-18 at Portsmouth's Churchland Park, and has been a summer tennis instructor for Norfolk Parks and Recreation.

"I'm elated and looking forward to being here on this beautiful campus and working once again with the Virginia Wesleyan student-athletes," said Kahn. "We have a good group of individuals returning and I'm excited to begin working with the newest student-athletes as well."

According to Renn, it is Kahn who is responsible for bringing in one of the largest and most promising groups of tennis hopefuls in many years at VWC.  

"I'm very excited about the prospects," said Renn, who will begin her fourth season as the assistant tennis coach.  "This is probably the strongest class we've had in the last five years."

It's a class that totals 21 individuals, including 13 women.  Those newcomers are not only expected to bolster the women's team, but also challenge for starting flight positions.  The Marlins return No. 1 Imee Bautista (Virginia Beach, Va./Frank W. Cox) and No. 4 Shannon Sabo (Whitehaven, Pa./Hazelton) for their senior seasons and No. 3 Meredith Willett (Rumney, N.H./Plymouth) for her senior year.  All three were All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference honorees and helped to guide VWC to the league's runner-up finish.  They compiled a combined 35-12 record in singles and 25-7 record in doubles.  Luke Blum (Manassas, Va./Osbourn Park) leads a sophomore-dominated men's team which will welcome a solid group of newcomers.

"I would think our women would have a chance to compete for the ODAC title again," said Kahn, "and our men should be able to finish among the top five teams in the conference. It just depends on how hard they work at it."

A native of Norfolk, Kahn graduated from Maury High School, where he was a four-year starter and the No. 1 player for the Commodores' state championship team.  His tennis skills and academic excellence combined to earn him a tennis scholarship to study and compete at Division I George Washington University in Washington D.C, where he was a sociology major.

Kahn was the former manager of The Tennis Shop, Inc., in Washington D.C. and the former owner of the Norfolk Auto Supply, Inc.  He has also worked as a John Hancock Financial Services representative, with special certification in long-term health care planning.

Kahn becomes VWC's 10th head women's coach since the program began in 1983 and the 12th in the men's program, which began in 1968.  VWC's women are riding a streak of nine consecutive winning seasons.

This release is courtesy of the Virginia Wesleyan College sports information department.