Lehigh women’s tennis team hires new head coach

Originally from Germany, Sophia Geier moved to the United States to play collegiate tennis at the University of Akron and finished her collegiate career ranked No.2 on Akron’s all-time list in singles wins and combined wins. 

Geier was also a three-time captain, a three-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete award winner and a two-time team MVP. 

She initially planned to return to Germany after a year of playing tennis at Akron, but her experience as a collegiate athlete changed her path. 

“Playing on a college team made me fall in love with tennis all over again,” Geier said.

Lehigh Athletics appointed Geier as the new head coach for the women’s tennis team on Oct. 2.

In addition to her success on the court, Geier also brings years of coaching experience. Before being hired at Lehigh, she was the assistant coach at Kenyon College and most recently the assistant coach at Brown University. 

Geier said Lehigh’s women’s tennis program excited her because of the prestigious and competitive nature of the Patriot League.

“I have always worked with student-athletes who prioritize their academics as much as their sport, and Lehigh represents that balance perfectly,” Geier said. “Lehigh’s program is on the rise, and it’s exciting to take on the challenge of helping the team reach even greater heights.” 

Sophomore Maggie Forkner said she’s excited to see Geier’s coaching style and how she’ll take the team to the next level. 

“She has such a strong record as both a player and an assistant coach,” Forkner said. “I think her experience as a number one player, team captain and scholar-athlete will really help her guide us.”

Geier’s passion for tennis is evident through her player-first coaching philosophy. She said she wants to inspire the same love for the game she found in the women she coaches. 

Geier said she wants to use tennis to help her players grow. 

“I coach the person and not the sport, so I want to teach my players to work hard and invest deeply in everything they do,” Geier said. 

Senior Hamsa Javagal said the timing of bringing on a new coach is important for the stability and cohesiveness of the team. 

“Meeting coach Geier in the fall and getting to know her better will help us bridge that connection early, so when we get to the spring, we can focus on what we need to do as a team,” Javagal said.

Since this is her first head coaching position, Geier said she’s excited about the challenge. 

She said her years as an assistant coach have given her insight into finding athletes that fit the mold of the team and culture she wants to build at Lehigh.

Geier said she has an ambitious vision for the program, and her main goal is to build a championship culture. 

“I believe in competitive excellence, and the focus is on getting better every day so we can put ourselves in the best position to win,” Geier said. “While winning isn’t something we can always control, we can control how much we improve.”