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Sherif Zaher To Coach Bulls' Men's Tennis

Sherif Zaher

Zaher takes over for 13-year head coach Russ Crispell who resigned to concentrate fully on his work in UB’s Recreation and Intramural Department after the 2005-06 season. “This program is fully dedicated to earn itself a conference championship in the near future,” said Zaher. “Being a part of this exciting opportunity is an honor for me. I am 100% committed to get this job done.”

Zaher has a tremendous background as both a player and coach in the world of tennis. A native of Cairo, Egypt, as a junior he was ranked in the Top 50 in the world by the International Tennis Federation and competed in Wimbledon juniors, the Orange Bowl (reaching the third round), as well as representing his country in a number of international events, including the Sunshine Cup. He went on to earn a scholarship at SEC powerhouse Georgia, where he helped the Bulldogs win the 1999 NCAA Division I National Championship. As a freshman, he compiled an 11-0 record at Georgia.

After a serious elbow injury during his sophomore year at Georgia, he opted to transfer to Sacramento State to finish his collegiate career. At Sacramento State, he led the Hornets to the NCAA Championships in both 2001 and 2002, playing both number one singles and doubles. He would earn Big Sky Most Valuable Player honors in both seasons and would be named Sacramento State Male Athlete of the Year as a senior.

Following his playing career at Sacramento State, he was named head coach at his alma mater at the age of 23. In his three years at Sacramento State, the Hornets finished in the top three in the Big Sky Conference each year, winning the team title in 2003 and advancing to the finals in 2005.

He has spent the past year as the Elite Academy Tennis Director at Cedardale Health and Fitness in Haverhill, MA. At Cedardale he has overseen the junior tennis program that has more than 500 players enrolled, including some of the top juniors in New England. He has also helped operate a USTA tournament out of the Cederdale complex.

“We are thrilled to have Sherif join our UB Athletic family and are excited by the outstanding experiences in tennis that he brings to our program,” said Warde Manuel, UB’s Director of Athletics. “Having been an outstanding player in his own right, Sherif is very passionate about the collegiate tennis experience. I am confident that he will bring that passion and pride to our men’s tennis program.”

Zaher earned a Psychology degree from Sacramento State in 2002 and went on to earn his masters degree in Kinesiology (Sports Performance) at Sacramento. He has also played for the Sacramento Capitols in World Team Tennis and has authored a book, due out this summer, to help aid student-athletes find the right college to further their tennis careers.