COLUMBIA, Mo. – Head Coach Sasha Schmid announced the addition of volunteer assistant coach Majorie Muller to the Mizzou Tennis staff today. Muller, a former assistant coach at both Texas Tech and Texas A&M, joins the program after stints as a tennis instructor at the Country Club of Missouri and the Mizzou Tennis Complex.
"I am so happy to announce that Majorie Muller is joining our coaching staff as the volunteer assistant coach for Mizzou Tennis," Schmid said. "Majorie's experience as a college player and coach is going to be an outstanding asset for our team. Even more than her experience, Majore's passion for Mizzou Tennis and our student-athletes has impressed me the most and I am looking forward to working with her. "
Alongside Schmid and new assistant Colt Gaston, Muller becomes the third member of the Tigers' 2015-16 coaching staff.
"Overall I'm just thrilled with our staff," Schmid said. "We are each incredibly dedicated to the development of this program. The partnership between Colt, Majorie and myself is going to be so positive for Mizzou Tennis and our student-athletes."
Additionally, Muller will serve as the Director of Camps and Clinics, using her extensive background as an instructor to help the program with outreach in the local community.
"I've been working around the Mizzou Tennis Complex for four years and I've always wanted to be a part of the team," Muller said. "I love the program and the positive atmosphere Sasha has created. I'm really excited to be a part of Mizzou, bring more camps here and spread Mizzou Tennis all over the state."
Muller's tennis career launched at an early age. The Bloemfontein, South Africa, native learned how to play the game on her childhood farm, where she hit barefoot against a barn for hours on end. The repetition paid off and eventually she moved to the U.S. to pursue a tennis career.
Muller was a two-time All-American at Tyler Junior College in 1999 and 2000. She carried her squad to back-to-back national titles and wrapped up the 2000 campaign as the No. 1-ranked singles player in Junior College.
That success earned her a scholarship at Texas A&M University, where she won 40 singles matches and 47 doubles matches over her final two collegiate seasons. In 2001, Muller was given the Texas Aggie Heart Award, which honors the hardest worker and biggest heart in women's sports at the university.
After graduating from Texas A&M with a Bachelor's Degree in Kinesiology, Muller moved to Lubbock, Texas to be an assistant coach at Texas Tech in 2003. A year later, she found herself back at Texas A&M and spent four years as an assistant at her alma mater.
"I learned how to win at Texas A&M and at Tyler College," Muller said. "I have that will to win and I never give up so I can help Mizzou by being supportive and giving the student-athletes that insight."
In 2008, Muller brought her expertise to Columbia and has been teaching tennis to players of all ages throughout Mid-Missouri ever since.
"I have worked with Majorie for several years here at the Mizzou Tennis Complex and I have always known how great she is on a tennis court," Mizzou Director of Tennis Steve Stuckenschneider said. "We are excited to have her involved with our women's program and we look forward to having her this upcoming season."
While on staff at Mizzou, Muller plans to continue her teaching efforts by bolstering camps and clinics and helping the Tigers compete at a high level on the court. For all the latest on Mizzou Tennis, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter @MizzouTennis.