Christina Theile is in her 15th season as Assistant Coach of the New York University women's tennis team. The Violets have posted a 76-107 record since she joined the staff prior to the 2002-03 season.
Last season, the women’s team had one of its best campaigns in program history, thanks to some talented newcomers and solid returners. The Violets posted a 9-4 dual-match record, their most wins since 2006-07, and finished the season ranked #29 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), the program’s first-ever national ranking.
Senior Carmen Lai set a new team mark with 20 singles wins, tied the program record with 11 #1 singles victories and notched the second-best single-season win percentage (.869, 20-3) in team annals. Freshman Vanessa Scott’s 16 singles wins were the third-most in a season, while freshman Flyora Shiyanova’s 15 wins were tied for fourth. The duo also finished the season among the all-time leaders in singles winning percentage. Scott's .889 (16-2) mark was the highest in a season in program history, while Shiyanova's .833 (15-3) was third best.
The Violets also had great success in doubles play last season, as junior Laila El Dessouki's 14 wins were tied for the fourth-most in a season, while senior captain Madeline King's seven wins at #3 doubles were tied for the fourth-most all-time. El Dessouki went 3-0 at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship at #4 singles and earned Second Team All-UAA honors.
In 2014-15, for the first time in team history, NYU women’s tennis players earned ITA All-America honors. El Dessouki and Lai achieved the feat after winning the ITA Northeast Regional Doubles Championship during the fall. The Violet pairing won five matches at the competition, including a three-set victory over the #1 pair from Vassar College in the finals.
In addition to becoming the first NYU women's double pair to ever win an ITA title, El Dessouki and Lai automatically qualified for the United States Tennis Association (USTA)/ITA Small College Championships, where they wound up finishing seventh in the nation.
As a team, the women posted a 5-6 dual-match record in 2014-15, including a seventh-place finish at the UAA Championship.
In 2013-14, the Violets posted a 1-9 mark in dual matches, but featured several notable individual performances. Alison Wang led NYU in wins for the second straight season, posting an overall record of 7-3 at #1 singles. During the fall season, as the Violets swept all 11 doubles matches at the Vassar Invitational. Wang and Ashley Masanto advanced to the round of 16 in singles at the ITA Northeast Regionals, while also combining to reach the doubles semifinals. At the NY State Championships, Mari Tzakis and Madeline King reached the #3 and #4 singles finals, respectively.
The Violets posted a 5-6 record in dual matches during the 2012-13 season, concluding their season ranked #13 in the ITA Northeast Region.
Individually, Wang and Tzakis tied for the team lead in singles wins, as both compiled identical 8-3 records at the #2 and #3 spots, respectively. In doubles play, Tzakis and King combined to lead the squad in victories with a 12-6 record. The duo captured the #2 doubles title at the New York State DIII Championships, while both Tzakis and King won individual titles at #3 and #4 singles, respectively. Overall, NYU won four of the nine flights at the competition.
In 2007-08, Theile helped the Violets go 8-8, place sixth at the UAA Championship and earn a #14 ranking in the ITA Northeast Region. Holly Smith captured the ITA Northeast Region Consolation Singles Championship and the NYSWCAA #3 singles title, while Amanda Freedman and Stephanie Tu captured the NYSWCAA #2 doubles crown.
That success followed a memorable 2006-07 season in which NYU placed fourth at the UAA Championship (tied for its best-ever finish), while reaching double-digit victories (10-7) for the first time in five years.
A native of Ramsey, NJ, Theile has also served as tennis pro at the Indian Trail Club in Franklin Lakes, NJ, and at the Quest Health & Tennis/New York Sports Club, where she gave group and private lessons to adults and children.
A 2002 graduate of Lafayette College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology and a minor in government & law, Theile was a member of the Leopards’ varsity tennis team and was ranked by both the United States Tennis Association and the Eastern Tennis Association.
Theile, who also works as an account manager in the Personal Care Division for Albéa, earned a Master of Science degree in jurisprudence from the Seton Hall University School of Law in 2007.
Theile resides in Morristown, NJ.
