Douglas Potkay is in his seventh season as head coach of the Rider University men's and women's tennis teams in 2020-21.
In his third season, the women's team won four dual matches, giving them their best fall season in 10 years. Building on that success, the women's team won eight matches in 2016-17, the most for the program in more than a decade.
Potkay, of Yardley, Pennsylvania, was hired as the men's and women's tennis coach at Rider on August 1, 2014.
“We are very fortunate to be able to add someone with Doug's background to our coaching staff,” Rider Director of Athletics Don Harnum said. “He has had years of successful experiences, both as a player and as a coach, that will greatly benefit the Rider tennis programs.”
“I always wanted to coach on the collegiate level so this is a dream come true,” said Potkay. “It is exciting to return to where my tennis career started and working for Rider, in Division I, this is a great opportunity.”
A former tennis player at Rider in 1971, Potkay went 12-0 as the number two singles player, helping the team earn a MAC (Middle Atlantic Conference) Championship during his freshman season.
After transferring to Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, Potkay helped the school establish its tennis program and he compiled a 32-3 record before graduating in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science degree with a Psychology and Political Science concentration.
Potkay was a tennis touring professional from 1977-1980 before a knee injury forced him to the sidelines and into coaching.
Potkay returned to the area in 1979, raising three kids and he worked as a teaching professional in the early 1980s at the Roger Wootton Tennis Camps (North Brunswick and Langhorne).
Potkay was inducted into the Flagler Hall of Fame in 2008 and he most recently was the head coach of the boy’s and girl’s tennis teams at the Pennington School (Pennington, New Jersey) with the boy’s team earning a share of the Prep ‘B’ State Championship.
Potkay also worked as the Director of Tennis at the Hopewell Valley Golf Club, organizing leagues, tournaments and drills.
Potkay replaced Rider Hall of Fame player and long time head coach Ed Torres who retired in May 2014 after 19 seasons with 224 victories.
