The University of Mississippi Athletics
Women's Tennis
- Title:
- Volunteer Assistant Coach
- Year at Ole Miss:
- First
- Phone:
- 662-915-7538
- Alma Mater:
- Baylor (2017)
It’s always a great thing when you can replace an All-American on your coaching staff with another All-American. OIe Miss women’s tennis head coach Mark Beyers did that with the addition of Baylor alum Blair Shankle to the program as the new volunteer assistant coach.
Shankle replaced Rebel All-American Julia Jones in the fall of 2018, and is currently in her second season with the program.
In her first season with Ole Miss, Shankle helped guide senior Tea Jandric to the ITA Southern Region’s Most Improved Senior and was also dubbed with All-SEC Second Team recognition. Jandric went 8-1 in league play, including four ranked wins and three in a row, including taking down No. 4 Contreras of Vanderbilt. Then-sophomore Sabina Machalova was named the ITA Southern Region’s Player to Watch. In the fall, Jandric reached the finals of the ITA Southern Regional, and the pair of Alexa Bortles and rookie Isolde de Jong also reached the finals, falling in a tough three-set thriller to the reigning national champions. The women ended their season with a huge upset, taking down No. 16 Texas A&M 4-2 on Senior Day.
Prior to arriving in Oxford, Shankle served as a student assistant coach at Baylor where she enjoyed a decorated career on and off the court.
A three-time All-American, Shankle ended her career ranked third in doubles wins (99), tied for fourth in singles winning percentage (.826), sixth in singles wins (109) and seventh in doubles winning percentage (.733) at Baylor. She achieved the highest ranking for a singles player in program history, checking in at No. 4 in the Oracle/ITA Rankings and became the first player in program history to earn All-America accolades on the court and in the classroom.
Shankle’s Accolades at Baylor…
· 2017 All-Big 12 First Team Singles & Doubles
· 2017 Singles All-American
· 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-America Third Team
· 2017 ITA Most Improved Senior (national and regional award winner)
· 2017 CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team
· 2017 Big 12 Player of the Week (Feb. 7, March 21, April 18 & April 25)
· 2016 All-Big 12 First Team Singles & Doubles
· 2016 Big 12 Player of the Week (April 7)
· 2015 All-Big 12 Singles & Doubles
· 2015 Big 12 Player of the Week (March 17 & April 7)
· 2014, 2015 ITA All-American Doubles
· 2016 & 2017 Big 12 Scholar-Athletes of the Year
· 2016 ITA Texas Region Cissie Leary Award for Sportsmanship
· 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017 ITA Scholar-Athlete
· 2015, 2016 & 2017 Academic All-Big 12 First Team
· Eight-time Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll selection
“Mark approached me last year when Ole Miss played a dual match at Baylor and said he would have an opportunity this year, and it peaked my interest,” Shankle said. “I am super excited to join the Rebel family and start working with the players and learn a lot from Mark.”
Shankle, the daughter of Jimmy and Terri Shankle, hails from Dallas, Texas.
