JACKSON - Samuel Spencer has been named the head coach of the Belhaven men's and women's tennis programs by Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Little.

"Samuel knows the game, enjoys teaching it and cares about the people he coaches," Little said. "He understands what we expect from our coaches at Belhaven: invest in our students, help them grow in their faith and prepare them to compete at a high level. We are glad to welcome him to the Blazers."

Spencer comes to Belhaven with coaching experience in Florida and Missouri. He most recently worked on court at Tennis Time Inc. in Tampa.

Before joining Tennis Time, Spencer worked with junior and adult players at Galindo Tennis Academy in Lakeland, Florida, where he planned and led lessons for players ranging from beginners to those preparing for college tennis.

Spencer began coaching at Forest Lake Country Club in St. Louis, where he assisted with group lessons for children and adults. He later joined Woodsmill Tennis Club, leading classes, helping oversee league matches and coaching a USTA women's team.

Spencer competed for John Brown University for four seasons from 2017 to 2021. He played as high as No. 2 singles and No. 1 doubles during his collegiate career. He recorded 13 singles wins and 15 doubles victories over his final three seasons. His best year came in 2018-19, when he went 6-4 in completed singles matches and 8-3 in doubles.

In addition to his work as a coach, Spencer covered tennis as a writer and content producer. He created articles, equipment reviews and videos for Tennis Express and has covered the professional game for Serve On SI.

Growing up in Lilongwe, Malawi, Spencer graduated from John Brown with a bachelor's degree in English in 2021. He earned a master's degree in creative writing from Liberty University in 2023.

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