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Brandon Padgett wasted little time putting his mark on the Akron tennis program. 

In 2011, his first season at the helm, the second-seeded Zips claimed their first-ever Mid-American Conference tournament championship – a thrilling comeback 4-3 victory over top-seeded Miami (Ohio) in the title contest – and faced Michigan in the NCAA Tournament's first round. The squad closed out the campaign with a 20-5 overall record (7-1 MAC), the most victories in a season for the program since the 1990-91 squad finished 26-6.

UA student-athletes compiled a long list of accolades in 2010-11, highlighted by junior Zara Harutyunyan claiming a record third-straight MAC Player of the Year Award. She also earned first team all-league honors for the third year in a row and was MVP of the conference's all-tournament team. Additionally, sophomores Prang Pantusart and Angelika Jogasuria were named to the All-MAC Second Team and Academic All-MAC squad. Pantusart was also selected to the MAC All-Tournament Team. 

Akron tennis was also recognized academically by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) in 2011 as senior Anya Baronayte, sophomore Angelina Jogasuria and freshman Natalia Kuvakina each earned the ITA Scholar-Athlete Award. UA also earned the ITA All-Academic Team Award for the second-consecutive year.

Now in his second season, Padgett was named to his post on Oct. 13, 2010. He took the reins of the Zips' program after three-plus seasons at Kennesaw State and replaced Jeffrey Wyshner, who accepted the women's head coaching position at Wake Forest in August 2010. Wyshner was at UA for four seasons.

Padgett inherited an Akron program that was coming off what was arguably the most successful season in program history in 2009-10, in which it posted a program single-season record for league wins (7-1) and tallied the most overall victories (19-3) since the 1990-91 squad went 26-6. Additionally, the Zips opened the dual-match portion of their season with a 15-match win streak and were the nation's last undefeated Division I squad. UA's impressive start earned it a season-high and program-best national ranking of 63rd by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association during the first week of April.

Padgett was named head coach of the women's team at Kennesaw State, located in Kennesaw, Ga., in March 2007 and in 2008 started up the varsity men's program. He led both teams until February 2010, at which point he was elevated to director of tennis operations, while maintaining the title of women's coach. As director of tennis operations he had oversight of all aspects of both squads, including scheduling, budgeting and fundraising. He also oversaw the construction of the newly refurbished KSU Tennis Complex.

During his tenure at Kennesaw State, the athletics department switched from competing in the Peach Belt Conference and NCAA Division II to its current place in the Atlantic Sun Conference and Division I. During the transitional period, Padgett helped the program remain competitive and scored high marks in terms of recruiting. His women's team finished fifth in the conference in 2009, after placing 11th one season earlier. The jump in the standings came on the heels of signing a recruiting class that ranked as the 22nd best among mid-major programs, according to the ITA. The 2010 women's team finished sixth, and its recruiting class was listed 24th among mid-majors, with only one recruit.

In 2008, he guided the men's program through its first season of existence as a varsity sport, and his fall 2008 recruiting class ranked as the 29th best nationally, behind Ohio State and Indiana. The 2009 class was listed 11th among mid-majors.

Padgett came to Kennesaw State after serving as assistant coach at Dayton during the 2006-07 season, and his coaching resume also includes stints at the high school and Division-III level. He also served as a teaching professional at the Five Season Sports Club in Dayton, Ohio.

Prior to his time in Dayton, he served as the head coach at D-III Earlham College in Richmond, Ind., from 2003-04. From 2001-03, he was the head coach for both men's and women's tennis as well as women's soccer at D-III Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va. He also served as the Tennis Camp Director for the Frederick County Parks and Recreation Department while at Shenandoah.

Padgett served as the head coach at Miami (Hamilton) University for one season before heading to the state of Virginia. In his lone year with the Harriers, the team claimed the Ohio Regional Campus Conference title.

His first head coaching position was with his alma mater, Ross High School, in Ross, Ohio. He spent two seasons as the coach of the Rams, leading RHS to a 51-28 record and consecutive runner-up finishes in the Fort Ancient Valley Conference.

During his playing career, he was an all-conference performer and doubles champion at Miami (Hamilton) University, where he helped lead his team to the conference championship in both his freshman and sophomore seasons (1994 and '95).

Padgett, 35, received his undergraduate degree in health and sports studies from Miami (Ohio) in 1999 and received a master's degree in physical education from West Virginia in 2001. He and his wife, Jessica, have a daughter, Addyson.