Samantha Allison (formerly Pinchoff) is entering her fifth season as Lander's head women's tennis coach. Allison was hired in June 2018.
Allison led the Bearcats to a 14-9 record during the 2021-22 season, their best showing during her tenure. Lander was also nationally ranked during points in the season by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association, their highest showing was 48th in Division II. The doubles pair of Emily Ineson and Mille Elsborg were ranked as high as 25th by ITA earlier in the season.
Prior to arriving in Greenwood, Allison spent three seasons as the head men's and women's tennis coach at Mount St. Mary's. In 2017-18, Allison led the Mountaineer women's team to the Northeast Conference Tournament semifinals for the first time in a decade.
Allison guided the men's and women's squads to NEC Quarterfinal showings for the second straight season in 2016-17. The women's squad closed out the campaign with seven victories, and the men's team claimed six wins on the season.
In her first season at the helm in 2015-16, Allison guided the men's squad to an 11-10 overall record and the women's team to a 4-18 mark as both squads made NEC Quarterfinal appearances.
A native of Sylvan Lake, Mich., Allison began her coaching career as an assistant coach coach during the 2014-15 season. As a first year assistant, Allison helped lead the Mountaineers to winning records on the men's and women's side, including the No. 4 seed for the men's team at the Northeast Conference Tournament.
During her playing career at the Mount, Allison was one of the winningest doubles players in school history. Allison is tied for fourth on the all-time list for career doubles wins with 52. Her most success as a player came while playing alongside Kelly Conroy as the doubles duo set a program record with 39 victories over a three-year stretch.
Splitting time between the No. 1 and No. 2 singles positions from 2010-14, Allison won 39 singles matches, including a career-high 12 as a freshman in 2010-11.
In addition to her playing career at the Mount, Allison worked as a tennis pro at The Sports Club of Novi in Michigan.
Allison graduated from Mount St. Mary's in 2014 with a degree in communications and earned her MBA in 2015.
