Thornqvist led UF to four national championships and won 11 SEC Championships in his 23 years at Florida.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Four-time national champion women’s tennis coach Roland Thornqvist announced that he is retiring on Monday, capping his 23-year, 507-win tenure leading the Gators.
Associate head coach Jeremy Bayon will assume the role of interim head coach, and a national search will be conducted to identify Thornqvist’s successor.
“Wearing the Orange and Blue for almost a quarter of a century has been the privilege of a lifetime, but now in my early 50s it’s time for a new challenge,” Thornqvist said. “There are so many memories and people to thank because the strength of the UAA is its people.
“I’m grateful for all the wonderful players who sacrificed so much and always thought ‘Florida First;’ our support staff, who worked relentlessly behind the scenes; and my two phenomenal ADs, Jeremy Foley and Scott Stricklin, who trusted in me. I’m also especially thankful for Kim Green, whose support through the years was unwavering.
“Today is certainly bittersweet, but I will forever be a Florida Gator.”
“The University of Florida is incredibly grateful to Roland, who has had a remarkable tenure in Gainesville, winning national and SEC championships while representing the Gators with excellence,” athletic director Scott Stricklin said. “We will always appreciate the lasting impact he’s made on and off the court for the student-athletes and staff he’s led.”
Under Thornqvist’s guidance, the Gators captured the 2003, 2011, 2012 and 2017 NCAA championships in addition to 11 Southeastern Conference titles. Florida competed in every NCAA Tournament and finished every season with a winning record during Thornqvist’s time at the helm. He was recognized as the 2011 Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Coach of the Year and five times earned SEC Coach of the Year accolades.
In addition to his four national championships, Thornqvist guided the Gators to two national runner-up finishes and a total of 11 national semifinal appearances. He also coached national doubles champions Brooke Austin and Kourtney Keegan in 2016.
The native of Stockholm, Sweden, came to Florida in June 2001 after leading the North Carolina (1998-2001) and Kansas (1996-98) programs for a combined five seasons. Upon his arrival in Gainesville, Thornqvist and the Gators hit the ground running and tallied a 173-16 (.915) record over his first seven campaigns, reaching the national championship his first season and winning the 2003 title in his second year.
Under Thornqvist’s coaching, six Gators claimed a combined nine SEC Player of the Year honors, led by three-time winner Lauren Embree (2010, ’12, ’13), also including Jessica Lehnhoff (2002), Alexis Gordon (2004), Allie Will (2011), Brooke Austin (2015, ’16) and McCartney Kessler (2022). In addition, four Gators took home SEC Freshman of the Year recognition. Belinda Woolcock received the 2017 Honda Award as the nation’s top collegiate tennis player.
Thornqvist wraps his time in Gainesville with a 507-107 (.826) record as Florida’s head coach and a 582-157 (.788) career mark including his stops at Kansas and North Carolina.
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