NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Danielle McNamara, who guided the Bulldogs to four Ivy League titles and mentored the first two All-Americans in school history in two separate stints as the Swensen-McMahon Head Coach of Women's Tennis at Yale, has elected to step down from her position, effective Friday, June 11, 2021.
 
"Coaching at Yale has been my passion and love for thirteen years and brought so many special moments to me and my family that I will never forget. It's been a privilege to work with so many talented, driven and well-rounded young women over the years and I'm grateful to have had an opportunity to help shape them into the people they've become," said McNamara. "Yale University and the Athletic Department have always been incredibly supportive of me as a coach and a mother. Even with that support, coaching is an incredibly demanding profession and I'm at a period in my life where I want to be able to devote more time to my family. I want to thank Vicky Chun, Nathalie Carter, the Athletic Department and all of Yale University for everything."
 
McNamara, a two-time Wilson/ITA Northeast Region Coach of the Year (2011, 2013), was named head coach for the first time in 2006 and led Yale to Ivy championships in 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013. The Bulldogs also made four NCAA Tournament appearances, including posting the first NCAA win in school history, and captured four ECAC Indoor Team Championships in eight seasons.
 
McNamara has had more success since returning as head coach in 2016. The Bulldogs were in the midst of a memorable 2019-20 season before it was prematurely ended due to the COVID-19 public health threat. Yale moved into the ITA National rankings (No. 35) and was 9-3 overall with a number of impressive wins when the season was stopped. In addition, the doubles team of Jessie Gong and Samantha Martinelli captured the 2019 ITA All-American Championship, becoming the first Ivy League women in either singles or doubles to win the title. The two reached as high as No. 3 in the ITA national rankings and became the first Bulldogs to earn All-America recognition. McNamara concludes her time at Yale with a 159-96 overall record and a 53-24 mark in Ivy League competition.
 
"It was an absolute honor and privilege to work with Danielle. She is a fierce competitor, an incredible role model and recruiter, and brought this program to great success during her tenure. I thoroughly enjoyed working with her and the incredible student-athletes in this program," said Victoria M. "Vicky" Chun, Thomas A. Beckett Director of Athletics. "Although I am saddened to see Danielle go, we look forward to finding the next head coach who will continue the winning ways of Yale Women's Tennis."  
 
McNamara was at the helm for one of the most successful seasons in school history in 2011 when the Bulldogs won 22 matches, including a 4-2 victory over William & Mary in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Yale's ITA ranking climbed as high as No. 18 in the country, the highest it had been in the 30-year history of the ITA rankings. The Bulldogs also had five players earn All-Ivy League recognition and had a doubles team advance to the quarterfinals of the USTA/ITA National Indoor Championships in the fall.
 
Under McNamara's leadership, the Bulldogs have been equally successful in the classroom, earning multiple ITA All-Academic Team selections. McNamara has also coached nine Academic All-Ivy League selections.
 
The Bulldogs have been active in the community under McNamara as well, and for her efforts she won the 2010 USTA/ITA Campus and Community Outreach Award for the New England region. Yale also hosts an annual Campus Kids' Day for local children and organizes a food and clothing drive for the homeless.
 
The team also takes part in New Haven Youth Tennis and Education (NewHYTES), a youth mentorship program for students in grades 3-12 directed towards children from low-income families who otherwise would not have access to high-quality academic guidance or athletic instruction. 
 
A national coaching search will take place immediately. Assistant coach Ellyse Hamlin will assume the day-to-day duties until a replacement is named.