Citing a desire to spend more time with her young family, University of Montana women’s tennis coach Jen Anderson resigned from her position recently. The resignation ends Anderson’s more than decade-long association with UM’s Department of Athletics as a student-athlete, employee and coach.

Anderson recently completed her second year as the women’s tennis coach after serving one season (2005-06) as Kris Nord’s assistant for the men’s and women’s programs.

The Grizzlies went 14-29 overall in Anderson’s two seasons (2006-07, 2007-08), 8-7 in Big Sky Conference matches.

Montana earned a No. 4 seed to the 2008 Big Sky Conference Women’s Tennis Championships in April after posting a 5-3 league record. The Grizzlies lost to No. 5 Eastern Washington, 4-0, in the quarterfinals.

UM was a No. 5 seed at the Big Sky Tournament in 2007 after going 3-4 in league matches. Montana upset No. 4 EWU, 4-3, in the quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Sacramento State in the semifinals.

Anderson’s student-athletes were the recipients of the 2008 Athletic Director’s Award, which is presented annually at the Robert O. Lindsay Scholar-Athlete Honors Banquet to the team with the highest GPA over the previous two semesters. Anderson’s team posted a department-best 3.47 GPA over the spring 2007 and fall 2007 semesters.

Anderson (then Canuso) was an All-Big Sky Conference performer as a sophomore (1997, second team), junior (1998, second team) and senior (1999, first team). She is one of only two UM women’s tennis players to earn all-conference honors three consecutive seasons.

Anderson graduated with a degree in business administration from Montana in 2000 and added a master’s degree in the same field in 2005. Prior to her coaching career, Anderson spent three years working in UM’s Department of Athletics in both administration and the Grizzly Scholarship Association.

The nation-wide search for Anderson’s replacement has already begun, with applications begin accepted through the end of June.

Montana Sports Information