The Davis File
|
Alma Mater, Year |
Arkansas Tech, 2002 (BA - Psychology)
Arkansas Tech, 2004 (ME - Health & Physical Education) |
Years at Arkansas Tech |
25th Year Overall
3rd - Athletic Director
(spent three years as interim AD)
18- head women's tennis coach
4 - women's tennis player |
Abby Davis has been a fixture at Arkansas Tech for over two decades serving as a student-athlete, coach, educator, mentor and administrator. In June 2022, after three years as the department's Interim Athletic Director, Davis made history as the interim tag was taken away from her title and she became the first-ever female Athletic Director in Arkansas Tech history.
For Davis, the 2025-26 athletic year will be the fourth as AD at her alma mater.
Initially tabbed as Interim Athletic Director in August 2019, Davis led the ATU Athletic Department through some of the most challenging circumstances imaginable.
Just a few months into her role as Interim AD, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in the United States and in the middle of March 2020, collegiate sports were abruptly suspended for the remainder of the athletic year. Over the next few months, Davis worked alongside athletic leaders and medial professionals within the Great American Conference and the NCAA to find ways to facilitate a safe and healthy return to competition for all sports at Arkansas Tech.
Following a conference-wide decision to postpone fall sports in 2020 to spring 2021, Davis continued to work hard to ensure that resumption of competition would be done so in a safe and healthy manner. In January of 2021, Arkansas Tech resumed competition and practice in all sports.
Despite the challenges throughout her time as Interim Athletic Director, Davis continued to lead the athletic department forward and played an integral role in improving the department’s fundraising efforts with numerous financial gifts and pledges secured to benefit the more than 300 student-athletes at Arkansas Tech. The projects that Davis has spearheaded fundraising efforts for include facility upgrades, scholarship opportunities for student-athletes and overall enhancement of the student-athlete experience.
Davis' leadership during the unprecedented time as Interim AD also yielded success in competition as Arkansas Tech has captured Great American Conference regular season and/or postseason championships in volleyball, women's basketball, men's golf, baseball and softball as well as an NCAA Division II Central Region title in women's golf and a NCAA Division II national championship in men's golf.
The ATU Athletic Department also continued to enjoy success in the classroom under Davis. Spring 2025 marked the 14th consecutive semester in which ATU student-athletes achieved a cumulative grade point average above 3.0.
As she was serving as Interim Athletic Director, Davis remained the head coach of Golden Suns tennis, but has stepped aside from that role now that she is full-time athletic director.
In 18 years as head coach, Davis became the winningest coach in Arkansas Tech women's tennis history with a career record of 206-154. Davis and the Golden Suns posted a winning record in 13 of her last 15 seasons. The 2021-22 season marked the 14th consecutive year in which Arkansas Tech played postseason tennis.
Under Davis, Arkansas Tech claimed three regular-season conference titles and one conference tournament championship, including both championships in the inaugural year of the Great American Conference. The Suns also recorded a 2-2 record in NCAA regional play.
Davis coached over 50 all-conference picks, three conference player of the year selections and five conference freshman of the year honorees. She also was a four-time Great American Conference Coach of the Year.
Off the court, Arkansas Tech was named to the ITA All-Academic Team five of her last six years, and over 50 student-athletes have received conference academic honors. The Golden Suns also represented the Central Region with the ITA Community Service Award in 2017 and 2018, totaling 635 hours of community service.
In the summer of 2019, Davis was named chair of the NCAA National Tennis Committee and served until the conclusion of the 2021-22 year.
Davis' tenure as coach followed a four-year run as a Golden Suns tennis player, where she captured all-Gulf South Conference honors.
A native of Paris, Ark., Davis lives in Russellville.
Abby Davis Career
|
Year |
School |
Position |
Note(s) |
2024-25 |
Arkansas Tech |
Athletic Director |
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
* - |
2023-24 |
Arkansas Tech |
Athletic Director |
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
* - |
2022-23 |
Arkansas Tech |
Athletic Director |
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
* - |
2021-22 |
Arkansas Tech |
Interim Athletic Director / Head Women's Tennis Coach |
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
* -
TENNIS
* - 8-7 overall record and 4-1 record in GAC
* - GAC Coach of the Year
* - Coached GAC Player of the Year (Lea Grinberg)
* - Coached four All-GAC players (three first-team) |
2020-21 |
Arkansas Tech |
Interim Athletic Director / Head Women's Tennis Coach |
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
* -
TENNIS
* - 11-6 overall record and 4-2 record in GAC
* - Coached GAC Freshman of the Year (Aastha Dargude); GAC Newcomer of the Year (Lea Grinberg)
* - Coached four All-GAC players (three first-team) |
2019-20 |
Arkansas Tech |
Interim Athletic Director / Head Women's Tennis Coach |
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
* -
TENNIS
* - 6-6 overall record
* - Season canceled in mid-March due to COVID-19 |
2018-19 |
Arkansas Tech |
Head Women's Tennis Coach |
* - 12-7 overall record and 4-2 record in GAC
* - Coached four All-GAC players (one first-team) |
2017-18 |
Arkansas Tech |
Head Women's Tennis Coach |
* - 12-6 overall record and 4-2 record in GAC
* - Coached GAC Freshman of the Year (Julia Schoch); GAC Newcomer of the Year (Katharina Drebka)
* - Coached four All-GAC players (two first-team) |
2016-17 |
Arkansas Tech |
Head Women's Tennis Coach |
* - 16-8 overall record and 3-3 record in GAC
* - Coached three All-GAC players (two first-team) |
2015-16 |
Arkansas Tech |
Head Women's Tennis Coach |
* - 11-13 overall record and 4-3 record in GAC
* - Coached four All-GAC players (one first-team) |
2014-15 |
Arkansas Tech |
Head Women's Tennis Coach |
* - 18-5 overall record and 5-1 record in GAC
* - GAC Co-Regular Season Champion
* - GAC Coach of the Year
* - Advanced to NCAA Central Region Tournament
* - Coached three All-GAC players (two first-team) |
2013-14 |
Arkansas Tech |
Head Women's Tennis Coach |
* - 16-6 overall record and 5-1 record in GAC
* - Coached GAC Freshman of the Year (Nozomi Matsuoka); GAC Newcomer the Year (Olga Leyshyna)
* - Advanced to NCAA Central Region Tournament
* - Coached four All-GAC players (two first-team) |
2012-13 |
Arkansas Tech |
Head Women's Tennis Coach |
* - 12-6 overall record and 5-1 record in GAC
* - GAC Co-Regular Season Champion
* - Coached GAC Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year (Bohdana Sardak)
* - GAC Coach of the Year
* - Coached three All-GAC players (two first-team) |
2011-12 |
Arkansas Tech |
Head Women's Tennis Coach |
* - 17-5 overall record and 6-0 record in GAC
* - GAC Regular Season Champion
* - GAC Tournament Champion
* - Coached GAC Player of the Year (Mariel Alvarez), GAC Freshman of the Year (Aida Castany)
* - GAC Coach of the Year
* - Coached four All-GAC players (three first-team) |
2010-11 |
Arkansas Tech |
Head Women's Tennis Coach |
* - 10-7 overall record and 3-2 record in GSC
* - Coached four All-GSC West players (two first-team) |
2009-10 |
Arkansas Tech |
Head Women's Tennis Coach |
* - 10-6 overall record and 4-2 record in GSC
* - Coached three All-GSC West players (one first-team) |
2008-09 |
Arkansas Tech |
Head Women's Tennis Coach |
* - 17-5 overall record and 4-2 record in GSC
* - Coached three All-GSC West players (two first-team) |
2007-08 |
Arkansas Tech |
Head Women's Tennis Coach |
* - 11-10 overall record and 3-3 record in GSC
* - Coached GSC West Freshman of the Year (Saki Matsuoka)
* - Coached three All-GSC West players (one first-team) |
2006-07 |
Arkansas Tech |
Head Women's Tennis Coach |
* - 6-16 overall record and 1-5 record in GSC
* - Coached one second team All-GSC West player |
2005-06 |
Arkansas Tech |
Head Women's Tennis Coach |
* - 6-19 overall record and 2-5 record in GSC
* - Coached one second team All-GSC West player |
2004-05 |
Arkansas Tech |
Head Women's Tennis Coach |
* - 7-16 overall record and 3-5 record in GSC
* - Coached two All-GSC West players (one first-team) |