Ashland Tennis Center professional Greg Geremia named as new SSU men's, women's tennis coach

Like his coaching predecessor, Greg Geremia comes from an excellent background in the sport of tennis.

 

His accomplishments -- both as a player and as a coach -- speak volumes to that fact.

 

Geremia, a Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) certified tennis instructor who has worked full-time as a tennis professional at the Ashland Tennis Center in Ashland, Ky. for the past seven years and as a part-time tournament director for the Greater Ashland Tennis Association for over five years, will be the newest head coach of the Shawnee State men's and women's tennis programs, as announced by Shawnee State Athletic Director Gerald Cadogan Thursday afternoon.

 

"It is immensely gratifying that the university has placed its trust in me to help this program flourish and work with these exceptional athletes," Geremia said. "I am eager to support their growth and lead them to victory in the matches ahead."

 

Geremia, who has been involved with the game of tennis, overall, for nearly three decades in one facet or another, was a standout high school tennis player at Ashland Paul G. Blazer High School, otherwise known to by many locals in Northeastern Kentucky as Ashland.

 

While there, Geremia established himself as one of the best tennis players in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association's (KHSAA) 16th Region, winning three 16th Region Doubles Championships and also playing a role in winning four 16th Region Championships while with the Tomcats -- helping Ashland extend its streak of 16th Region titles to 10 consecutive. Geremia was an Ashland Daily Independent All-Area selection in each of his four years of high school competition (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011).

 

Following his high school playing days, Geremia ultimately graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Ky., and in September 2017, was hired by the Ashland Tennis Center -- where Geremia continues to impact players across the Tri-State Area (Southeastern Ohio, Northeastern Kentucky, Western West Virginia) today. He also served as the head stringer for two professional tournaments held at the Ashland Tennis Center in 2018 and 2019, and remains active in various competitive United States Tennis Association (USTA) leagues, and was a part of a unit that won a USTA Sectional and District Championship last season.

 

"Returning to the place where I first took lessons as a child has been a remarkable experience," Geremia said of the Ashland Tennis Center. "The supportive community, staff, and players at ATC have been instrumental in my growth as both a coach and an individual."

 

Geremia takes over the men's and women's tennis head coaching positions from Jacob Freeland, who accepted the women's tennis head coaching position at NCAA Division III Earlham College in Richmond, Ind. Freeland was the author behind two competitive and successful programs at Shawnee State and brought with him a strong passion and care for the game itself as a former Shawnee State tennis alum. In 2024, the men's tennis program won its most matches in a single-season in program history while the women's tennis program tied a program record for most matches in a single-season in program history. Freeland also produced the first-ever nationally-ranked ITA men's tennis talent.

 

"I see incredible potential in both Shawnee State teams," Geremia said. "I am confident that I can help these players reach new heights, building on the remarkable success of last year under Coach Freeland, and together, we will create our own legacy."

 

Coaching-wise, Geremia tends to draw inspiration from Spanish tennis, in particular the relentless spirit of Rafael Nadal.

 

"I believe in training with full match intensity and playing each point as if everything depends on it," Geremia said. "I hold high expectations for this group of players. The pressure of following a record-breaking year can be daunting, but I firmly believe that pressure creates diamonds. Together, we will rise to the challenge and achieve greatness."