Simon Harston will enter his fifth year as head coach for the Saint Mary's women's tennis team in 2021-22.
Last season, SMC went 4-4 in West Coast Conference matches and 6-8 overall. Senior Mariia Kozyreva picked up her third career All-WCC Selection in both singles and doubles by landing on the First Team in both categories. Danielle McIntyre was also named to the First Team in doubles alongside Kozyreva. Academically, Saint Mary's excelled once again by placing four student-athletes on the All-WCC Academic Honorable Mention list and were named an All-Academic Team by the ITA for posting a cumulative 3.67 GPA during the school year.
In 2020, the Gaels were 7-4 and surging heading into conference play before the season was cancelled due to COVID-19. SMC won five of their last six matches, the lone loss coming to No. 9 Stanford, including wins over Oregon and Furman. Junior Mariia Kozyreva continued her successful college career under Harston, finishing runner-up at the ITA Northwest Regionals and then claiming the consolation singles title at the ITA Fall Championships in Newport Beach, Calif. Kozyreva ended the season as the No. 21 player in the country and was named the ITA's Player to Watch going into the 2020-21 campaign.
In 2019, the Gaels faced a tough non-conference schedule and finished the season with a 10-11 overall record but were 6-3 in conference action. Mariia Kozyreva and Hind Abdelouahid achieved the No. 27 ranking in the country during the spring as a doubles tandem as the duo went on to be named First Team All-WCC. Kozyreva also was selected to First Team in singles play after going 12-5 during the spring.
In 2018, Harston led the Gaels with a 13-9 overall record. He guided the Gaels in a four-match win streak sweeping San Francisco, Pacific, Portland, 4-0, including a 4-3 rival victory over Gonzaga. Harston coached nationally ranked duo Mariia Kozyreva and Hind Abdelouahid as they were both named All West Coast Conference. Kozyreva earned All-WCC Second Team and Abdelouahid was named All-WCC Honorable Mention after going 10-5 together on court one all season long.
Under his direction, the Gaels finished 2018 No. 63 in the final Oracle/ITA tennis rankings.
Harston joined Saint Mary's College in August of 2012 to assist head coach Michael Wayman with the men's team for the 2012-13 season. He continued in that role in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
A native of London, England, Harston brings with him a vast knowledge of the game and a proven track record of developing talent. He is looking forward to the challenge of developing the program at Saint Mary's and learning under the tutelage of Coach Wayman.
Harston played professionally on the ATP Tour after graduating from the University of Bath in 2000, and did so until injury forced him to retire in January, 2007. In March of 2006 he was part of the Great Britain National Team that toured the USA playing exhibition matches against many of the top collegiate programs in California and Texas, including Saint Mary's.
During his coaching career, Harston has worked with six junior players ranked inside the ITF Top 100 rankings and coached at the French Open Juniors and Junior Wimbledon. In December 2011, Harston was named coach of the British National Team that finished seventh in the University World Championships in Rouen, France.
Prior to moving to the USA, Harston was Head Coach and Director of Compete Tennis High Performance Center, an LTA funded academy that catered to players from ages five to eighteen. From 2001 to 2012 he also held the position of Touring Coach at The Woodford Wells Club, giving private lessons to a wide range of club members and leading the junior performance program.
Originally from Woodford Green, England, Harston and his wife Autumn now reside in Moraga, CA.
