Mark Tjia was named head coach of the UAB women’s tennis program on January 17, 2014, bringing more than 30 years of coaching experience at the collegiate, professional, and international levels. Since taking over the program, Tjia has overseen significant competitive and academic growth. Early in his tenure, the Blazers secured their first win over a ranked opponent in seven years and earned their first conference tournament victory in nearly a decade. Under his leadership, UAB has produced multiple All-Conference selections across Conference USA and the American Athletic Conference, including first-team honorees and ITA regional award winners. The program has also recorded nationally notable victories, including a win over No. 58 Wichita State in 2024, and has consistently ranked among the top teams in the ITA Southern Region.
Beyond on-court success, Tjia’s teams have excelled academically and in community engagement. UAB has been named an ITA All-Academic Team every season since 2015 and captured eight consecutive ITA Southern Region Community Service Awards from 2017-24. Prior to UAB, Tjia served as an assistant coach at TCU, helping guide the Horned Frogs to a Final Four appearance and a No. 4 national ranking. He also coached at Florida and worked extensively on the professional circuit, including coaching WTA player Shaun Stafford. A former standout player at TCU, Tjia competed on the ATP Tour and achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 589. He holds a degree in business administration and is the author of Loving the Battle!. He and his wife, Jenna, reside in Birmingham.
