Longwood Names Charlotte Clarke Director of Tennis
By Longwood Athletics
FARMVILLE, Va. — Charlotte Clarke has been appointed Director of Tennis at Longwood, Director of Athletics Tim Hall announced Friday.
Clarke, a native of Leicester, England, comes to Farmville following a rapid rise through the coaching ranks as an elite tennis coach. Most recently, she was the acting head coach and associate head coach of the nationally ranked men's and women's tennis teams at NCAA Division II Lenoir-Rhyne in Hickory, N.C.
"We are excited to welcome Charlotte Clarke to the Longwood family," Hall said. "She is wise beyond her years and is a strong relationship builder. Her program goals, vision and philosophy are extremely well thought out and fit perfectly with in the Longwood athletics culture. I am confident she will do great things as our Director of Tennis."
Clarke took over as acting head coach for the final month of the 2022-23 season, overseeing a team that consisted of All-South Atlantic Conference second team singles player Evgeniya Pugina and All-SAC first team doubles pair Alicia Wahlberg and Lucy Whelan.
This past season, she helped the No. 28-ranked women's team to a 14-5 overall record, going 9-3 in the SAC. Clarke helped guide the Bears' No. 38 men's team to 10-7 overall mark and 7-5 in conference.
Clarke mentored four All-SAC women's players, in 2023-24, including SAC Freshman of the Year Runa Muderrisoglu and two all-league men's players.
"I am thrilled to have been named as the new Director of Tennis at Longwood University," said Clarke. "As soon as I stepped onto campus, I knew Longwood was a special and unique place with an administration dedicated to athletic success and providing its student-athletes with the best possible experience. I want to personally thank athletic director Tim Hall for giving me the opportunity to expand both programs and I am looking forward to taking these student-athletes to the next level. I am excited to get to work with such an incredible athletic department and driven student-athletes."
A four-year standout and captain at Coker from 2018-21, Clarke finished her career sixth on the all-time career singles wins list and tied for fifth on the all-time career doubles wins list.
In the classroom, Clarke was a three-time member of the South Atlantic Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll, a three-time recipient of the D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award, a member of two ITA All-Academic Teams and a two-time ITA Scholar-Athlete.
After graduating with a bachelor's degree in physical education with a concentration in exercise science, Clarke returned to her alma mater as an assistant coach for the 2021-22 season. That year, she helped the Cobras to 11 victories, including six on the women's side, while recruiting some of the most competitive teams in program history.
Clarke also spent 2021 as the head tennis professional at Hartsville (S.C.) Country Club and earned a master's of business administration from Lenoir-Rhyne in 2024.