STANFORD, Calif. – Associate head coach Frankie Brennan will step away from the program for the 2019-20 campaign due to a medical leave of absence, as announced today by head coach Lele Forood.
Brennan completed his 24th year on The Farm in 2018-19, serving in his ninth season as the program's associate head coach following 15 seasons as an assistant coach.
A six-time ITA Northwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year and one of the most well-respected assistants in the country, Brennan has helped guide the Cardinal to a 606-52 overall record, 12 NCAA championships and 19 conference titles while mentoring 34 All-Americans since joining the staff for the 1995-96 season.
While Brennan remains on leave, Francis Sargeant will serve as assistant coach for the program. Sargeant, who has spent the previous three seasons in a volunteer assistant coach capacity for the men's tennis team, will fill the role on a temporary basis.
"I am extremely grateful to Lele, our sport administrator, Beth Goode and the entire administration for providing me with the opportunity to temporarily step away from the program after 24 years and schedule this knee surgery", said Brennan, the son of former Stanford head coach Frank Brennan, Jr., who directed Stanford to 10 NCAA titles in 21 seasons, including six in a row from 1986-91, as the winningest coach in program history.
"There is never an ideal time for an absence like this, as I know my stepping away affects everyone, from seniors who are in their final season to freshmen that I have spent years recruiting," said Brennan. "I will miss being around this incredible group of student-athletes. The program is fortunate to have Lele's leadership and I know Francis will do a terrific job filling in as assistant coach. Francis has been a part of the Stanford tennis family for the last three years, and Lele and I feel fortunate to have him available to us."
"While there is certainly no replacing Frankie, we wish him well this year in his recovery and look forward to his return," said Forood, who enters her 20th season at the helm having led the Cardinal to 10 NCAA crowns, 15 conference titles and a 466-44 overall record. "We are delighted to have a coach of Francis' experience, knowledge and energy helping us, along with Erin Burdette on staff."
Prior to Stanford, Sargeant served as a volunteer assistant coach at Memphis during the 2015-16 campaign, leading the Tigers to an NCAA Tournament appearance.
"I'm beyond excited for this opportunity," said Sargeant. "I, of course, have big shoes to fill from Frankie — but am honored to continue the legacy he has built with Lele as I work with the team over the next year. To say Lele is a historic coach is an understatement. Working with such a storied program, guided by such a storied leader, is equally inspiring, as it is motivating to me. I would be remiss not to recognize Paul Goldstein and Brandon Coupe, whose mentorship, leadership, and friendship over the last three years have developed me as a coach, and more importantly, a person. I'm looking forward to, what is sure to be, another amazing year on The Farm."
A four-year letterwinner at BYU from 2012-15, Sargeant closed out his career ranking sixth in school history with 91 singles victories. A two-time All-WCC second team honoree in singles, Sargeant was also named to the conference's first team in doubles for the 2013 season. During Sargeant's career, the Cougars made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2013-14.
A native of Beckenham in the UK, Sargeant graduated from BYU with a degree in sociology in 2015. In 2010 and 2011, he was the No. 1 ranked U18 player in the UK and was a two-time ITA Scholar-Athlete.
Volunteer assistant coach Erin Burdette, a four-time All-American (2002-05) and member of three NCAA title teams, returns for her for sixth season.
After winning its last four NCAA titles as a No. 8 seed or lower, Stanford flexed its muscle as the No. 3 seed in 2019, routing top-seeded Georgia 4-0 to repeat as NCAA champions for the first time since a three-year stretch from 2004-06.
The most decorated program in college history and the winningest program on The Farm, Stanford has incredibly won 20 of the possible 38 NCAA championships. The Cardinal, which was appearing in its fourth consecutive final, has won 21 national championships overall (20 NCAA, 1 AIAW).
Stanford (28-1, 10-0 Pac-12) closed its season on a 23-match winning streak and avenged its only loss, a 4-3 setback to Georgia back on Feb. 11 in the semifinals of the ITA National Indoor Championships. The Cardinal improved to 50-5 during the month of May since 2010, a stretch that has produced five NCAA titles (2010, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019).