Greg Cluff
Greg Cluff
Title: Coordinator of Athletics Admissions
Phone: 802.654.2979
Email: gcluff@smcvt.edu
Year: 5th
College: Lafayette '68

Greg Cluff, the winningest coach in the history of the Saint Michael's women's tennis program and a two-time Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year, enters his 10th season as head coach in 2012-13. He has compiled a 112-60 record through nine seasons, taking his Purple Knights to the NCAA Tournament three times.

Cluff has also been the College's coordinator of athletics admissions since the summer of 2008. In this part-time capacity, he helps streamline recruiting efforts between the Department of Athletics and the Office of Admission.

Cluff has spent 13 years total as a coach with the women's tennis program, spending 2000 to 2002 as the team's assistant coach. The squad compiled a 36-9 record during that span, including an undefeated regular season in 2001.

Saint Michael's went 13-8 under Cluff's guidance in 2011-12, including going 10-3 in the NE-10 for the third straight season. With a 9-0 win at the University of New Haven on Sept. 18, 2011, the Purple Knights provided Cluff with his 100th career victory. By downing Bentley University, 5-0, on April 18 in a conference tournament quarterfinal, Saint Michael's advanced to its 13th consecutive semifinal, a feat unmatched by any league counterpart since the NE-10 went to a team tournament format in 1999-2000.

In 2010-11, Cluff guided the Purple Knights to a 13-5 record, beginning the season 7-0, was regionally ranked throughout the year, and advanced to an NE-10 Tournament semifinal. As a result, Cluff was named the league's coach of the year for the second time. The Purple and Gold was 10-3 in conference play.

In 2009-10, Saint Michael's went 12-9, as the Purple Knights qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the third straight season. Saint Michael's also compiled a 10-3 conference mark. Cluff was named the Saint Michael's Coach of the Year for the second time in three years, and for the third time in six seasons.

Cluff guided the 2008-09 Purple Knights to a 14-7 record, coming within one win of the previous season's school-record victory total, and helped the program return to the NCAA Tournament. Saint Michael's qualified as the sixth seed in the East region, the program's highest ranking in the NCAAs.

In 2007-08, Cluff led the team to a 15-7 season, the most wins in program history. The team finished second in the NE-10 with a 10-2 record and advanced to the NE-10 Tournament championship match. The program also earned its first trip to the NCAA Tournament, and Cluff was named NE-10 Coach of the Year.

The Purple Knights were 14-7 in 2006-07, at the time setting a program record for victories. Saint Michael's earned a share of the NE-10 regular-season title, going 11-1 in the league, and drew the No. 1 seed in the NE-10 Tournament, advancing to the championship match. Cluff's squad also earned the NE-10 Sportsmanship Award.

Saint Michael's won no fewer than eight NE-10 matches in each of Cluff's first three seasons, advancing to the NE-10 Tournament semifinals each year. The squad went 9-4 overall and 8-3 in the league in 2003-04, as he notched the highest win total for a first-year coach in program history. The Purple Knights were 11-4 and 9-3 the next year, with Cluff being named Saint Michael's Coach of the Year, before the 2005-06 team went 11-9 and 8-4.

Cluff has extensive coaching experience in the greater Burlington area, including spending more than 30 years as the boys' tennis coach at Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg, where he served as a social studies teacher for 38 years. Cluff led the team to four state championships (1977, 1978, 1999, 2000) and eight finals appearances, including six consecutive finals berths from 1997 to 2002.

In addition to his high school and college coaching experience, Cluff has also taught tennis for many summers. Since 2002, he has been a tutor for the Town of Shelburne Recreation Tennis Program and, from 1991 to 1995, worked at the Burlington Tennis Club.

Cluff is also the College's coordinator of athletics admissions, helping recruiting efforts between admissions and athletics. He has served in this part-time capacity since the summer of 2008.

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