Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech men’s tennis head coach Jim Thompson announces the hiring of Martin Sayer as Men’s Tennis Assistant Coach.
“I am very excited to have Martin join our program,” Thompson said. “He is one of the best up and coming coaches in the country. He was an outstanding player and already has become a very good coach, but what I like most about him is that he is a quality person. He will help us to continue building our program in a positive direction.”
Sayer most recently served as the women’s head coach at Radford and was previously an assistant for the Virginia Tech Women’s team. He began his coaching career at Radford, serving as an assistant coach with the men’s team while working toward his MBA. During his stint, the Highlanders claimed the 2010 Big South regular season title and the 2011 Big South Tournament title. In addition, he was a key part of the development of Ivan Salec who earned bids to the 2010 and 2011 NCAA Singles Championships.
Sayer posted an impressive career, tallying a 114-25 overall record while going an impressive 24-1 in the Big South while competing for nearby Radford University. He made four straight NCAA Singles Championships and is the all-time winningest men’s tennis player in Radford history.
As a four-time Big South Player of the Year, Sayer achieved success and accolades never before reached by a Radford student-athlete. Not only did he make it to the NCAA Singles Championship where he advanced to round of 32 as a freshman and sophomore, Sayer also partnered with Zack Watson to earn the Highlanders their first-ever at-large doubles appearance in the NCAA Championships. In 2006, Sayer was the NCAA Division I Rookie of the Year Runner-up and was named the East Region Rookie of the Year.
In addition to his collegiate career, Sayer is a member of the Hong Kong Davis Cup team. He has paired with Brian Hung to tally a 4-1 record in the Davis Cup. He has also participated in the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
“I am extremely excited to have the opportunity to work with Coach Thompson and the team,” Sayer said. “I am proud to be a part of the team that has and has had such great camaraderie, effort, and skill.”
Sayer, a four-time Big South Presidential Honor Roll selection, graduated from Radford in 2009 and earned the Big South’s Christenberry Award presented annually to the top male and female senior student-athletes in the league.