Eric Gibson Named Head Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach at Juniata College
HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Juniata College has announced the hiring of Eric Gibson as the next head coach of the men's and women's tennis programs, becoming the 18th coach in program history. Gibson joins the Eagles after leading successful programs at multiple collegiate levels, most recently serving as head coach at Ashland University.
Gibson spent the past two seasons as the head coach of the Ashland University men's and women's tennis teams, where he guided both programs to new heights. Under his leadership, the Eagles recorded their most women's wins (14) in 12 years, and most men's wins (13) in five years during the 2023–24 season. His teams earned a combined seven Academic All-District honorees, the most in a two-year stretch in program history, while producing 23 Scholar-Athletes and three All-Conference performers. Both squads also reached the GMAC Tournament Quarterfinals.
Prior to his time at Ashland, Gibson led Chestnut Hill College to historic success from 2021–23. He was named the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Men's Tennis Coach of the Year after guiding the Griffins to their first-ever national team ranking (#46) and a berth in the NCAA Division II East Region Championships. His men's program claimed the CACC Team Sportsmanship Award, a Co-Regular Season title, and made back-to-back conference finals appearances during his tenure.
Gibson began his collegiate head coaching career at Penn State Abington, where both the men's and women's teams reached the NEAC Conference Semifinals in 2020–21, while maintaining a combined team GPA of 3.7. He also spent time as an assistant coach at Kutztown University, serving as a recruiting specialist for both national and international athletes.
A native of Pennsylvania, Gibson earned both his B.S.Ed. in Secondary English Education (2018) and M.A. in English (2020) from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, graduating Magna Cum Laude with Dean's List honors. As a student-athlete, he competed for Kutztown's men's tennis team and was recognized as a PSAC Scholar-Athlete for his academic excellence.
"I am thrilled to be selected to lead this great group of tennis student-athletes at the prestigious Juniata College," Gibson said. "I'd like to thank Danny Young-Uhrich, Brittany DeHaven, Jarrett Kratzer, and the entire search committee for believing in my vision. To me, it's more than just a return to my home state of Pennsylvania—it's also a reunion with Division III athletics, which, for me, gives an exceptional blend of academic excellence with athletic greatness. I have high hopes and expectations for the development of the tennis program here, and I can't wait to get started, as the best is yet to come. Go Eagles!"
Outside of coaching, Gibson brings a diverse professional background that includes educational instruction, program coordination, and small business management. He holds a Professional Teaching Certificate in English/Language Arts (Grades 7–12) and is CPR, AED, and First Aid certified. He is also an active member of both the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) and USTA Middle States.