University of Alabama at Birmingham Women's Tennis

Mark Tjia, a veteran tennis coach with 30 years of coaching experience at multiple levels, was named UAB's head women's tennis coach on Jan. 17, 2014. Tjia h...

Pardis Kianoush was named the Assistant Coach for the UAB women’s tennis team in July of 2018. Kianoush served as the Assistant Coach from Fall of 2018 to Spring of the 2021 season after playing for the Blazers from 2013-2017. Kianoush then became a Volunteer Assistant Coach in Fall of 2021 and has continued to serve as the Volunteer Assistant Coach through 2026 (2021-26). Kianoush played under head coach Mark Tjia, predominantly in the top spot in singles and doubles. She posted an overall winning record with 40 total singles wins and 47 total doubles wins. During her freshman year, Kianoush led the team with 12 singles wins, primarily at the No. 3 spot, picking up All-Conference USA Third team honors at the end of the year. Kianoush was instrumental in UAB's opening-round win at the 2014 Conference USA Championship, picking up a 6-3, 6-1 victory against UTEP's Marie LeBlond at the No. 3 spot. The 4-2 win for the Blazers marked UAB's first victory in the C-USA Women's Tennis Championship since 2005. In her sophomore year, Kianoush registered seven singles wins out of her first nine matches at the No. 1 and No. 2 spots for the Blazers and was again named to the All-Conference USA Third Team for the season. Kianoush won all seven matches while at the No. 1 position in her junior year, featuring a stretch where she won five out of six singles matches. She led the team with 12 doubles victories with partner, Elaine Simon. The pair recorded four consecutive victories and closed t

UAB alum Paula Baird joined the women's tennis coaching staff in July 2022. The former Paula Biggs played at UAB from 1994-1998 and is one of the most decora...