Tina Samara begins her second year as an assistant coach and third season overall on the Colorado coaching staff.
Samara brings 21 years of tennis expertise both as a player and as a coach to the Boulder campus. She has participated as a tennis professional since 1996 and has coached at the national, collegiate, and professional levels. As an active member on the USTA/WTA/LTA Pro Tour, Samara also played on the Federation Cup for Norway in 1996-1998, and qualified for the U.S. Open singles draw in 1994 and 1995.
Also in 1995, Samara was listed in Sports Illustrated “Faces in the Crowd.”
Prior to coming to CU, she worked for General Electric Access/Avnet Distribution in Boulder from October 2006-May 2007.
As a tennis professional at the Creek Club in Locust Valley, N.Y., Samara developed a fitness program for men and women, in addition to instructing adults, juniors and clinics.
Not just an experienced tennis professional, Samara is also an experienced golf pro participating in numerous mini-tours across the United States. In 2003, she was a quarterfinalist at the Florida Women’s Open and the New York State Amateur, respectively. In 2003, Samara claimed top honors at the N.Y. State Public Links at Bethpage.
Samara is a 1996 graduate of the University of Georgia where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in family and consumer sciences. While in Athens, Samara was an outstanding tennis student-athlete earning All-American honors in 1994 and 1995; a member of the Bulldogs 1994 national champion team; and was the number one nationally ranked doubles team in 1995.
She was crowned the 1993 Collegiate Grasscourt Singles champion, member of Georgia’s 1994 SEC title team and was a two-time national team indoor champion.
Samara is also bilingual, speaking fluent Norwegian.
She is single and resides in Boulder.
