NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – Dena Madden has stepped down as head coach of the Merrimack College women's tennis program, as announced on Thursday.
Madden completed a five-year stint with the women's tennis team, concluding a dedicated tenure that saw both on-the-court success and impactful experiences for her student-athletes academically, culturally and in the local community.
Athletically, the Warriors won nearly 70 percent of their matches with Madden at the helm, registering a record of 35-16 (.686) from September of 2016 through March of 2020. The program advanced to the Northeast-10 Conference Tournament in all three seasons during her tenure, including a trip to the conference championship match in 2018. Last year, the program went 9-2 in its first season as a Division I program, including its first-ever Northeast Conference (NEC) victory against Mount St. Mary's.
Prior to the team's run to the 2018 NE10 Championship match, Madden was named NE10 Coach of the Year. She led the team to nine NE10 wins that campaign, the most for the program since the 2015-16 season. She also coached 10 all-conference selections across her time with the program.
The Warriors consistently put forth strong academic performances during Madden's years. The women's tennis team boasted at least one student-athlete on the NE10 All-Academic teams from 2017-19, had eight student-athletes earn Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar Athlete honors (GPA of at least 3.50) and saw multiple teams earn the ITA All-Academic Team honor, including last summer when the team was recognized for its 3.331 Team GPA. Mana Seifaei '19 also earned the prestigious NE10 Sports Excellence Award in 2019 for women's tennis, recognizing Seifaei as the top overall women's tennis student-athlete in the NE10 that season. Seifaei commented on the impact Coach Madden made on the women's tennis program:
"Dena was not only my tennis coach on the court; she was my mentor, my best friend, my second mother, my guide to life and has become my role model ever since I met her in 2016! I will never forget Dena's big smile and positive reinforcement every time I looked to her for emotional support during tough matches; she believed in me and pushed me to be the best version of myself – both on and off the court," Seifaei stated. "I feel very lucky to have crossed paths with a person like Dena. I want to wish her good luck, and say thanks for all the hard work, commitment and passion you put into your work every day. You've made a difference in our community."
Madden spearheaded various community service efforts for the team, including in 2019 when the women's tennis program at Merrimack connected with Lawrence High School's girls tennis team to host the Lancers for clinics while they were displaced from their courts following the impact of the gas explosions in the Merrimack Valley. Madden was also a presence on Merrimack's campus as a First Year Experience (FYE) instructor, mentoring many first-year Merrimack College students including a variety of student-athletes across Merrimack's 24 varsity programs. She served in this role for four straight fall semesters (2017-20).
In August of 2018, Madden provided a unique experience for the program with a preseason trip to Paris where the Warriors were able to enjoy the cultural experience of visiting historical sites such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Orsay. Merrimack also prepared for its 2018-19 season in France, participating in tournament play as part of its preseason preparations. Madden's squad also enjoyed the experience of playing at the outdoor courts at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I.
Merrimack will begin the search process this spring to identify a new coach for the program. The Warriors will continue to compete this semester, playing in their first match this weekend against Holy Cross.
