Despite leading the Oregon women’s tennis team to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last month, Jack Griffin announced his resignation, effective June 30, as head coach.
A national search has begun for his successor.
Griffin said he wants to move closer to wife, Amy Allmann, an assistant soccer coach at Washington, and son, Nicholas, who will celebrate his first birthday in September.
“This was a really difficult decision for myself and my family,” Griffin said in a statement released Wednesday. “I was very fortunate to work for one of the best athletic departments in the country. I’ve also been blessed to work with some amazing players, assistant coaches and support staff, which made my time here very rewarding.”
In six years at Oregon, Griffin, 36, compiled a 49-84 record and four NCAA Tournament appearances. He led the Ducks to a 14-11 record this year, capped off by a second-round berth in the NCAA Tournament and a season-ending No. 33 ranking. The Ducks upset No. 18 UNLV in the first round before falling to USC in the second round.
“The Oregon women’s tennis program is now emerging as one of the stronger teams in the nation,” Griffin said. “I will always take pride in knowing I’ve played a role in helping guide the program to this level.”
From 1995-96, Griffin was an assistant at New Mexico, his alma mater. As a player from 1984-87, he became the first and only four-time All-Western Athletic Conference selection. The La Jolla, Calif., native graduated from New Mexico with a degree in sports administration.
Griffin was the seventh coach in the program’s 29 years.