Mai-Ly Tran was named head women’s tennis coach at Drake University on Wednesday, July 27 2016.
2019-20 was shaping up to be another strong season for the Bulldogs before it ended prematurely due to COVID-19. Drake finished the season 6-4, including a perfect 6-0 mark at home, having won its last four duals overall. Under Tran's guidance, Liza Petushkova flourished into a player capable of garnering national recognition. In addition to winning her final five singles matches and seven doubles matches of the season, Petushkova and her doubles partner, Joely Lomas, were slotted No. 71 in the ITA Doubles Rankings on March 3. The duo was named MVC Doubles Team of the Week four times, and Petushkova won MVC Singles Player of the Week in consecutive weeks before the season was called off. Kelsey Neville/Maria Tatarnikova also earned MVC Doubles Team of the Week on Jan. 28.
In her third season with Drake, Tran led the Bulldogs to a 5-2 home record including a three-match winning streak early in the season. Tran developed a strong doubles lineup, and three Bulldogs finished with 10 or more wins in doubles play. The duo of Carmen Palumbo and Daria Walczak went 12-8 in the format, and sophomore Liza Petushkova totaled 11 doubles wins to bring her career total to 30. Palumbo and Petushkova were both named to the Missouri Valley Conference all-select team, and Petushkova was named all-conference academic honorable mention.
In her second season, Tran guided the Bulldogs to the 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Regular Season title. Tran was named MVC Coach of the Year and became the first Bulldog coach to receive the league honor since 1993. She guided the Bulldogs to a 15-5 record and led Drake to its first MVC regular season title since 2005. Freshman Liza Petushkova led the Valley with 19 singles wins to be named Freshman of the Year and All-MVC at No. 2 singles. Petushkova and doubles partner Tess Herder were tabbed all-conference No. 1 doubles after leading the league with 17 wins. Herder also earned All-MVC honors at No. 3 singles after going 4-0 in conference and posting 14 wins. Senior Mela Jaglarz was selected All-MVC at No. 6 singles as she went 5-0 in league play including a victory at No. 5. Summer Brills and Megan Webb earned all-conference No. 2 doubles too round out the team's All-MVC selection. For their work in the classroom, Brills and Herder were picked to the MVC Women's Tennis Scholar-Athlete First Team
In her first season at the helm of the Bulldogs, Tran guided Drake to a 10-11 record. Brills led the team with 13 dual match singles wins and earned All-MVC select team honors. Herder, who went 10-6 in singles during the spring, was selected first-team MVC Scholar-Athlete.
Tran came to Drake from Cal State Fullerton, where she spent the last three years as assistant women’s tennis coach. She helped lead the Titans to a 35-33 overall record the past three seasons, while also compiling nine Big West Conference awards, six Big West Player of the honors and 11 Big West All-Academic accolades.
Tran tutored Alexis Valenzuela, who was three-time Big West singles first-team selection and the first Titan to earn first-team honors in program history. This past spring, Valenzuela and doubles partner Camille De Leon became the second Titan duo to receive first-team All-Big West honors.
Tran’s tireless work over the last three seasons resulted in the best season in program history in 2016 with 17 wins and the Titans’ first winning season since 2004.
Prior to her stint at Cal State Fullerton, Tran served as the Director of Tennis at Hope International University before coaching four years at Orange Lutheran High School.
Tran played for Cal State Fullerton from 2004-07, and as a senior, earned all-Big West second-team honors with her doubles partner Gina Le.
