Duke University Nike Tennis Camp

Since becoming the head coach in 1997, he has led the program to 14 20-win seasons and 20 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Under his guidance in 2009, the Blue Devils reached the pinnacle of success as they captured the program’s first NCAA Championship. Over the past 20 years at the helm of the program, he has led Duke to a 446-115 (.795) overall record and a 162-37 (.814) ACC mark, while advancing to the NCAA semifinals eight times, NCAA Championship match twice and notching ACC Tournament Championships on eight occasions.

Following the 2014 NCAA Team Championships, Ashworth was named the Wilson/ITA National Coach of the Year, as voted on by his peers. He is also a two-time ACC Coach of the Year (2001 & 2003) recipient and five-time ITA Regional Coach of the Year (2000, 2003, 2008, 2011 & 2014).

Duke’s success under Ashworth continued in 2016, as the team once again qualified for the NCAA Tournament and played into the second round, marking the Blue Devils’ 20th-consecutive appearance in the national competition with Ashworth at the helm. Overall, Duke concluded the season with a 19-7 ledger, while also compiling an 11-3 record against ACC competition. The Blue Devils reached double-digit conference wins for the third straight season and the sixth time in eight years. Ashworth, who once again led the Blue Devils to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships, helped guide Duke to a final ranking of 14th in the nation.

Individually, Duke placed a conference-best five competitors on the All-ACC list, with Beatrice Capra garnering recognition for the fourth time in her career. Duke leads all other programs in the conference with 104 All-ACC selections. Capra also garnered Carolina Region Senior Player of the Year honors for her efforts throughout the season. The Blue Devils were well represented in the singles and doubles rankings as well, with no fewer than three singles players and two doubles pairs appearing among those ranked in the national poll during the 2016 campaign.

The 2015 season saw Ashworth once again guide the Blue Devils to the NCAA Tennis Championships tournament, where the team played into the second round of the event. Overall, Duke earned a record of 17-10, the 19th straight season the Blue Devils compiled a winning record under Ashworth's guidance. In addition, Duke amassed a conference mark of 11-3, the fifth time in seven years the Blue Devils earned double-digit victories against ACC foes. The Ashworth-led Blue Devils also earned a berth into the ITA National Team Indoor Championships earlier in the year after opening the dual match season with back-to-back wins during the ITA Kickoff Weekend in Durham, N.C.

Multiple Blue Devils saw success individually as well in 2015, with Duke placing three players on the All-ACC team, including four-time honoree, Ester Goldfeld. Three Blue Devils also remained stalwart representatives among the nationally ranked singles players in the country, with all three concluding the year within the top 100. Two doubles pairs also finished the season among the top 60 ranked pairs in the nation. Under Ashworth's tutelage, freshman Samantha Harris earned ITA Carolina Region Rookie of the Year honors. Ashworth's continued emphasis on academics was also made evident by three Blue Devils earning spots on the All-ACC academic team. 

In 2014, Ashworth once again led the Blue Devils to the NCAA Tennis Championships tournament, marking the team’s 18th consecutive trip to the national tournament during his tenure. Duke reached the quarterfinal round for the 12th time with Ashworth as head coach. The Blue Devils bounced back from an injury plagued 2012-13 season by posting a 27-5 overall record and an 11-3 conference mark. Duke opened 2014 with eight consecutive wins, four of which came during the ITA National Team Indoor Championships, where the Blue Devils earned the second ITA National Team Indoor Championship title in program history in a hard-fought contest against No. 5 UCLA. Although Duke was recognized nationally throughout the year, the Blue Devils jumped to No. 1 following their showing in the tournament, a ranking the team held for five consecutive weeks from March 18 through April 15.

Individually, three singles players ranked among the top 35 in the nation at the conclusion of the season, and four doubles pairs appeared in the top-80 of the nationally ranked doubles teams. Three All-America honors were also earned by members of the Duke team, in addition to three All-ACC accolades in 2014. With Ashworth’s assistance Hanna Mar earned the ITA Carolina Region Senior Player of the Year award following a stellar senior campaign. In addition, Mar received the Most Outstanding Player honor at the conclusion of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, during which she remained undefeated and clinched Duke’s team title by securing the final singles point in a hotly-contested match against UCLA.

The 2013 season marked Duke’s 17th consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament with Ashworth at the helm, as the Blue Devils reached the round of 16 for the sixth time in as many years. Ashworth guided an injury-plagued Blue Devils squad to a 16-10 overall record and 5-5 ACC ledger. The Blue Devils closed the season with a 14th-place ranking on the ITA list. In addition to the team ranking, the Blue Devils also posted four singles players and four doubles pairs on the list. Three members of the Blue Devil squad garnered All-ACC honors, the 31st, 32nd and 33rd players to earn such an honor during Ashworth’s tenure.

In 2012, Ashworth led Duke to a 29-3 (.906) record overall to become the ACC’s all-time wins leader. Duke finished 11-0 in the ACC to become the first team in ACC history to have a perfect 11-0 record and win the ACC tournament in the same season. The team’s 29 wins tied the 2009 national championship team for the second most in a season, while the Blue Devils also tied the 2009 team for the second-longest winning streak in program history with 18 straight victories. The 2012 campaign was the fifth straight 20-win season for the program, and the eighth time that the Blue Devils reached the 25-win plateau during Ashworth’s tenure. The Blue Devils reached the NCAA semifinals for the eighth time in program history, and finished the season listed No. 3 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s final team rankings for the second consecutive year. The Blue Devils ended the season with six players ranked in the final ITA poll, four players named to the All-ACC team, and freshman Beatrice Capra honored as ACC Player of the Year.

The 2011 season saw Ashworth lead the program to its third straight quarterfinal appearance and the 16th overall in the NCAA Championships. The Blue Devils finished the season ranked No. 3, and had all six singles players and four teams of doubles in the final ITA rankings. Nadine Fahoum, Rachel Kahan, Ellah Nze and Reka Zsilinszka were All-ACC selections. Kahan was named ACC Freshman of the Year, while Nze and Zsilinszka each concluded their college careers with four consecutive All-ACC honors.

In 2010, Ashworth reached another milestone in his career as he garnered his 300th career victory when the Blue Devils blanked ACC foe NC State 7-0 on Feb. 25, 2010. Duke posted a 22-8 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. Duke also landed four players on the All-ACC Academic team.

Under Ashworth’s guidance in 2009, Duke posted 29-3 overall record and finished the year on an 18-match win streak after blanking California 4-0 in the national title match. Both numbers rank second all-time in Duke tennis history.

Just a week after capturing the team title, Ashworth helped mentor Blue Devil freshman Mallory Cecil to the NCAA Individual Singles Championship and a No. 1 national ranking. Under his watch, Cecil, Ellah Nze and Reka Zsilinszka all captured All-America honors for singles, while Cecil was named the ITA Player of the Year. Duke was equally impressive in the classroom in 2008-09, landing an ACC-best five players on the All-ACC Academic team.

In addition to the NCAA title, the Blue Devils captured a share of the ACC regular season title and won the ACC Tournament Championship in thrilling fashion. Five Blue Devils earned at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament and seven players were ranked in the final ITA national poll.

In 2007-08, Ashworth helped put Duke back in the forefront of the nation’s best teams, leading the Blue Devils to a 20-5 overall record and a runner-up finish in the ACC. Ranked ninth in the final national poll, Duke reached the NCAA Tournament for the 19th straight year and the 20th time overall. The Blue Devils advanced to the round of 16 as a team and had three individuals capture All-America honors after earning spots in the individuals tournament round of 16.

The 2006-07 campaign saw Duke go 12-10 (5-6 ACC) and reach the NCAA Tournament for the 18th straight year and 19th time overall. The Blue Devils finished the season with a national ranking of No. 21, led by sophomore Melissa Mang, who received All-ACC recognition for the second straight year, and freshman Amanda Granson, who led the squad in singles wins (23), dual match victories (15) and ACC triumphs (eight).

In 2005-06, Ashworth rounded out a decade as the head coach of the women’s tennis program. His 10th year saw the Blue Devils go 20-8 overall and 9-1 in ACC play. Mang became the sixth Blue Devil freshman overall and third under Ashworth (Ansley Cargill, 2001; Kelly McCain, 2002) to receive ACC Rookie of the Year honors, as she also received All-ACC accolades along with Bercek and Jackie Carleton. Bercek and Carleton each received bids to the NCAA Singles Championships and Bercek garnered her third career All-America nod. The Blue Devils ended the campaign ranked ninth in the country.

After serving as a Duke assistant coach from 1994-95 through 1996-97, Ashworth took over the head coaching reigns on March 20, 1997, and paced Duke to a 12-1 overall record and a 4-0 conference mark to wrap up the season.

In his first full year as a head coach (1997-98), Ashworth led Duke to 27 wins, then a school record, the school’s 11th consecutive ACC regular season and tournament titles, Duke’s best final national ranking at No. 2, its third consecutive Final Four and the program’s first appearance in the NCAA title match.

The 1998-99 season was no letdown as he guided Duke to 27 wins, its 12th consecutive ACC regular season and tournament titles, its fourth straight NCAA semifinal appearance and a final No. 3 national ranking.

In 1999-2000, Ashworth guided a young Blue Devil team to a 23-6 record, a 13th consecutive ACC Tournament title and a Sweet 16 NCAA finish. The following campaign (2000-01) saw Ashworth lead the Blue Devils to 27 victories and an Elite Eight NCAA finish, along with Duke’s 14th consecutive ACC Championship and an undefeated 8-0 ACC regular season mark.

In 2001-02, Duke posted a 25-5 overall record and won the ACC regular season title with an 8-0 mark. In 2002-03, Ashworth led the Blue Devils back to the NCAA Final Four, tied an ACC record with 30 victories, won the ACC regular season and tournament titles, and claimed the National Team Indoor Championship. With one of his youngest teams in his coaching history, Ashworth led Duke to the Elite Eight and a 22-5 mark in 2003-04.

During Ashworth’s term as the assistant coach, the Blue Devils recorded a 59-13 overall record and a perfect 20-0 ACC mark. In his first year as an assistant in1994-95, Duke went 22-6, advanced to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals and finished the year ranked No. 7. In 1995-96, he helped pace Duke to a 25-4 mark (then a school record for wins in a season), a trip to the NCAA Final Four and a national ranking of No. 3. In 1996-97, Duke advanced to its second straight NCAA Final Four, finishing the year third in the nation, once again.

Ashworth has coached 34 different All-ACC selections and 26 different All-America honorees, two national champions and four collegiate grand slam champions during his stint with the Blue Devils. That list that includes four-time All-America and 1998 NCAA singles national champion, Vanessa Webb, who is Duke tennis’ only Honda Award winner and Olympian.

A 1994 speech communication graduate of Maryland, Ashworth was a four-year letterwinner for the Terrapins and served as a captain of the team his junior and senior years. He recently served on the ITA Board of Directors for the fifth year and just finished his sixth year on the Division I Women’s Tennis Operating Committee.

A native of Amherst, N.H., Ashworth resides with his wife Caylan, his son Bryce and his daughter Molly in Durham.

Smith, a former Duke men's tennis standout, was on the Blue Devils' coaching staff for three seasons as an assistant coach and associate head coach prior to accepting the head coaching position. He started back at his alma mater in the 2005-06 season as an assistant coach. After just two seasons he was promoted to associate head coach for the 2007-08 campaign.

In two seasons at the helm of the Duke program, Smith has compiled a 36-18 overall record and 16-6 ACC ledger. He has taken the Blue Devils to the NCAA Tournament in both seasons, winning the first round match each year. Under his watch Duke has had one ITA National Doubles Team of the Year, one ITA National Rookie of the Year, two All-Americas, one ACC Player of the Year, one ACC Rookie of the Year, three All-ACC selections and seven named to the ACC All-Academic team.

In 2009-10 Smith was named the ITA Carolina Region Coach of the Year after leading Duke to its best season since 2006 when he first came to Duke as an assistant coach. The Blue Devils advanced to the NCAA Round of 16 and made the finals of the ACC Tournament for the first time since winning the title in 2006. Overall Duke finished the season with a 20-9 record and was second in the ACC with a 9-2 record. It marked the highest win total and top conference mark since the 2006 campaign. Smith coach Henrique Cunha to one of the best seasons in school history earning ITA National Rookie of the Year and ACC Player of the Year while earning the No. 1 seed in both singles and doubles at the NCAA Championships. Cunha made the semifinals in singles and teamed with Reid Carleton to earn All-America status by reaching the quarterfinals in doubles. The duo was named the ITA National Doubles Team of the Year after ranking No. 1 in each of the final five polls.

In his first season as the Blue Devils' head coach, Smith guided Duke to a 16-9 record and 7-4 mark in the ACC. The first-year head coach turned things around for the program, posting a .640 winning percentage after the team went 11-14 (.440) in 2007-08, its first losing season since 1970. The Blue Devils advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and finished the year ranked No. 23 nationally. Kiril Dimitrov was named to the All-ACC squad.

Smith has excelled on the recruiting front in his two seasons, bringing in Cunha in his first season, who earned National Rookie of the Year and signing the No. 1 rated recruiting class in 2010-11 according to Tennisrecruiting.net.

During his three seasons as an assistant coach, Smith helped lead Duke to a 49-31 overall record and 23-10 mark in the ACC. Under his tutelage the Blue Devils produced five All-Americas, eight All-ACC selections and one ACC Tournament MVP in just three seasons.

The 2007-08 team featured a young group with just three upperclassmen. They went 11-14 overall and 6-5 in the ACC. The team played nine matches that ended in a 4-3 final with seven losses in those contests. Duke advanced to the NCAA Tournament where they would knock off No. 23 Arizona State, 4-2, in the first round. They then suffered a 4-2 loss at No. 12 North Carolina in the second round contest. David Goulet and Reid Carleton were selected to the All-ACC team.

In 2006-07, the Blue Devils compiled a 16-10 overall record and 8-3 ledger to finish third in the ACC. Duke won their first match in the NCAA Tournament with a 4-0 victory over UMBC before losing a tight 4-3 match to No. 17 Alabama in the second round. Joey Atas and David Goulet claimed All-America honors for the Blue Devils while Atas, Peter Rodrigues and Kiril Dimitrov were picked to the All-ACC squad.

In 2005-06, the Blue Devils went 22-7 and ended the year tied for first in the ACC with a 9-2 record. Led by five seniors, Duke was ranked in the top-10 the entire season and was ranked as high as No. 3 in the polls twice. Duke won the 2006 ACC Tournament Championship with a dramatic come-from-behind 4-3 victory over No. 9 Virginia after trailing 3-0 in the match. The Blue Devils won two matches in the NCAA Tournament to advance to the round of 16. Three Blue Devils were selected to the All-ACC squad, including Stephen Amritraj, Peter Rodrigues and Ludovic Walter. Walter would also earn All-America recognition along with Stokke and Joey Atas. Stokke also earned the USTA Sportsmanship Award, the ITA Mideast Region Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship & Leadership Award and the ITA National Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship & Leadership Award.

Smith also started the Royal Blue Club while he was an assistant coach for Duke, which is a Duke tennis fan club that gives special promotions for men's and women's tennis matches. Smith has also helped the Blue Devils raise money for new indoor and outdoor courts and scoreboards as well as a new video system with cameras on all six indoor and outdoor courts.

A native of Hilton Head, S.C., Smith lettered four seasons at Duke from 1998-2001 and now ranks second all-time in school history with 119 career singles victories. He helped the Blue Devils to four-year records of 96-11 overall and an undefeated 32-0 in conference regular season action. From 1998-2001 Duke claimed four ACC Championships, four Top 10 national rankings and three NCAA Tournament quarterfinal appearances. Smith finished his career with a 119-37 singles record and 103-47 doubles ledger. A staple in the ITA singles and doubles rankings, Smith was ranked as high as No. 5 in singles in 2001 and No. 5 in doubles in 2000 with Doug Root. He was ranked in the top-10 in singles for four consecutive rankings during his senior season.

Smith was a two-time All-America earning the honor in 2000 and 2001. He was named All-ACC three times in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Smith was named the ACC Tournament MVP in the 2000 and 2001 ACC Championship victories. In addition, he was a two-time recipient of the Tennis Magazine/Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship Award and was named to the ACC's 50th Anniversary Team in 2002.

After receiving his bachelor of arts degree in economics from Duke in 2001, Smith played one year of professional tennis. He posted an ATP world ranking of 603 in singles and 723 in doubles before suffering a career-ending shoulder injury in September of 2002. He reached the semifinals at Futures Tournaments in Malibu, Calif., Chetumal, Mexico, and Little Rock, Ark.

Following his professional career, Smith worked with the Stan Smith Billy Stearns Tennis Academy, where he served as a coach, camp organizer and academy secretary for three years. He also spent three summers (2003-05) as a full-time fly fishing guide with Alaska West Sportfishing.

Smith successfully completed the USTA High Performance Coaching Program in Carson, Calif. in 2007 and is a USPTA certified Teaching Professional.

Born September 4, 1978, Ramsey is married to the former Kathy Sell, a three-time All-ACC performer for the Duke women's tennis team and four-year letterwinner (1998-2001). Ramsey and Kathy currently reside in Durham.