All the winning that the Fayetteville-Manlius girls tennis program has done for the last three decades has now received national attention.
Phil Rudolph, the head coach of both the girls and boys tennis programs at F-M, was named as a National Coach of the Year by the coaches chapter of the National Federation of State High School Associations.
Only 21 coaches in the United States each year receive the NFSHSA honor, one in each of the 20 most popular high school sports, plus an independent selection. Given Rudolph’s history, his choice is not much of a surprise.
Since taking over as F-M’s girls tennis coach in 1984, the Hornets have gone 420-6. Even more remarkable is the win streak built up over the last 20 years, as F-M has compiled 328 consecutive match wins, a national record for tennis.
NFSHSA also gave a National Coach of the Year honor to another Section III coach – Baldwinsville’s Mary Jo Cerqua, who has led her team to a pair of state Class AA championships, including 2013, and a 459-36 record in her 24 years at the Bees’ helm.
