2010 ITA Southern Region Assistant Coach of the Year Jason Ontog, a native of Chattanooga, Tenn., is in his fourth year as an assistant coach with the program. Since his arrival, the Rebels have been on the rise. In 2010, the team enjoyed its best season in several years, advancing to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and winning the SEC West Championship. The Rebels ended the year ranked No. 17 in the nation, posted their best finish in the SEC (2nd) since 1999 and their best league record (8-3) since 2000. Kristi Boxx and Karen Nijssen earned All-America honors, while Boxx was one of only nine players in the nation to earn the honor in both singles and doubles. Laura van de Stroet and Connor Vogel joined Boxx and Nijssen on the All-SEC team. In his first season with Ole Miss, the Rebels ended the year ranked No. 21 in the nation and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Championships. He helped coach the Rebels to five Top 25 wins and their best SEC finish in four years. Ontog helped coach Kristi Boxx and Karen Nijssen to All-SEC honors and the NCAA Doubles Championship. This past fall, he coached them to the ITA Southern Regional Championships and the consolation title at the ITA National Indoor. Ontog came to Ole Miss from Chattanooga, where he spent two years as the head girls' coach at Baylor High School. He was named the 2007 Chattanooga Times-Free Press Best of Preps Girls' Coach of the Year. He also was the 2007 Tennessee Coach for the USTA Southern Junior Cup 14-18's as well as the Southern Coach for the USTA Zone Team Championships. Prior to his stop at Baylor High School, Ontog was the assistant pro at the Racquet Club of Memphis for three years (2004-07). "We are really excited to have Jason on our staff," Beyers said. "He's a great addition for Ole Miss Rebel tennis. He has such a vast amount of experience in the game of tennis and is a very well-known figure in the Southeast as far as junior tennis is concerned. "He has made an immediate impact with our program, and we look forward to many more years." As a player, Ontog won the 1998 and 1999 TSSAA State titles at Chattanooga Christian School before going to the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, where he earned All-Southern Conference honors all four years. In 2000, he was named the So-Con Freshman of the Year, and in 2001 he earned So-Con Player of the Year honors. In 2002 and 2003 Ontog won the So-Con Sportsmanship Award. He earned a career-high national ranking of No. 68 in singles, while playing the No. 1 position for the Mocs. Ontog served as an assistant coach for the UTC women's team for a year after graduating in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. In 2010, Ontog was inducted into the Chattanooga Athletics Hallof Fame. Ontog is married to the former Jennifer Smith. |
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