Lele Forood

The most decorated women’s tennis program in the history of the sport remains in capable hands, thanks to the invaluable leadership of head coach Lele Forood, who wrapped up her 23rd season at the helm of the Cardinal in 2022-23.

During Forood’s coaching tenure, the Cardinal has compiled an eye-popping 535-60 overall record and captured 10 NCAA team titles, including a three-year undefeated stretch from 2004-06. In addition to directing Stanford to 16 conference crowns and five Pac-12 Tournament titles, Forood has coached 28 All-Americans, five NCAA singles champions and five NCAA doubles champions.

Most recently, the Cardinal has regained its footing as one of the nation's elite teams, advancing to the NCAA Semifinals in 2023 following a stretch of four years since making it to the final championship site. Coaching up some of the hottest young talent in the game, Connie Ma finished as runner-up at the 2022 NCAA Singles Championship as a freshman, while Alexandra Yepifanova was named Pac-12 Singles Player of the Year in 2023 as a sophomore. 

In 2019, Stanford (28-1, 10-0 Pac-12) blanked Georgia 4-0 to repeat as NCAA champions for the first time since winning three consecutive NCAA championships from 2004-06. Appearing in its fourth consecutive final, the Cardinal has won 20 of the possible 38 NCAA titles after closing the season on a 23-match winning streak and avenging 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).

Long regarded as the sport's gold standard, Stanford has equally embraced the role of underdog, with Forood expertly demonstrating her coaching versatility over the last decade. Prior to its 2019 title, the Cardinal won its previous four NCAA championships as a No. 8 seed or lower. In 2018, No. 15 Stanford duplicated its 2016 NCAA title run as the lowest-seeded team to win an NCAA championship. In 2013, Stanford won it all as a No. 12 seed. In 2010, the Cardinal claimed the crown as a No. 8 seed. Since 2010, Stanford has incredibly won 23 of its last 28 NCAA matches when seeded lower than its opponent.

A two-time ITA National Coach of the Year (2003, 2018) and seven-time conference coach of the year (2004, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2018, 2023), Forood was at the helm when Stanford achieved another milestone on April 27, 2018, collecting win No. 1,000 in program history following a 4-0 shutout over Washington State in the semifinals of the Pac-12 Championship. Entering the 2023-24 campaign, Stanford’s all-time record stands at 1,104-120, good for a winning percentage of .902.

Stanford has also produced several lengthy winning streaks under Forood that instantly require a double take. From 1999-2011, Stanford won 184 consecutive dual matches in a row at Taube Family Tennis Stadium – at the time recognized as the longest home winning streak of any NCAA Division I intercollegiate sport. The Cardinal also compiled an 89-match winning streak from 2004-2007, resulting in three undefeated seasons and three NCAA titles until a February loss in 2007.

The Cardinal has performed at an unprecedented level on the individual side under Forood’s watch, producing five NCAA singles champions and five NCAA doubles teams. That includes Amber Liu (2003-04) and Nicole Gibbs (2012-13) claiming back-to-back singles titles, in addition to a three-year grip in doubles from 2010-12.

The 2013 NCAA team title was extremely memorable, as Stanford (22-4) captured its 18th national championship despite entering the postseason as the No. 12 seed. Thanks to its victory over two-time defending champion Florida, the championship single-handedly extended Stanford Athletics’ streak of 37 consecutive years winning at least one NCAA title and heavily factored into the Cardinal overtaking the Gators to secure its 19th straight Directors’ Cup.

Meanwhile, the final day of the 2012 NCAA Championships proved to be a historic one, as teammates squared off in the singles final before later pairing up in the doubles title match for the first time in NCAA history. Gibbs became only the third Stanford player to claim collegiate singles and doubles championships during the same season. Gibbs defeated Mallory Burdette 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in the singles final, before the duo paired up one hour later to claim the doubles crown.

With a 28-1 record in 2011, the Cardinal made yet another deep postseason run despite falling to Florida in the NCAA title match. Two lengthy streaks were also snapped in the process, beginning with Stanford’s first loss since Feb. 26, 2010 - a stretch of 47 consecutive wins. Additionally, Florida became the first opponent to win a dual match on Stanford's home court since California posted a 5-4 victory back on Feb. 27, 1999. The NCAA-record streak at the time spanned more than 12 seasons, resulting in 184 consecutive wins and two national championships (2002, 2006). 

The first of three straight undefeated seasons occurred in 2004, as the Cardinal finished 29-0 and downed UCLA 4-1 in the NCAA championship match. Forood helped Amber Liu win her second straight NCAA singles title, while the doubles pair of Lauren Barnikow and Erin Burdette was named the ITA and Pac-10 Doubles Team of the Year.

Forood became the first female head coach to win the NCAA team title in 2001 with a 4-0 victory over Vanderbilt. The championship was the first for Forood, an assistant coach for five national title runs from 1989-1991 and in 1997 and 1999. She guided the Cardinal to a stellar 30-0 mark in her rookie season at the helm, in addition to the 2000 Pac-10 championship and a final No. 1 national ranking.

Forood also served as an assistant and associate head coach at Stanford for 14 years following an All-America playing career on The Farm. She was an assistant coach for 10 years under legendary skipper Frank Brennan before being promoted to associate head coach in March of 2000. In 1997, Forood’s efforts in helping lead the Cardinal to the NCAA title were recognized nationally as she was named the ITA Division I National Assistant Coach of the Year.

An All-American at Stanford 1976 - the first year All-American accolades were awarded - Forood was a National Collegiate singles finalist as a freshman and a semifinalist during her sophomore campaign in leading Stanford to two runner-up finishes before turning pro. Competing internationally, she captured the gold medal in both singles and doubles at the 1975 Pan American Games. She was also the 1975 national amateur singles and doubles champion. Forood was ranked as high as 30th on the women's professional tour, and she had an impressive victory over Wimbledon champion and second-seed Virginia Wade at the 1977 U.S. Open. At the 1976 U.S. Open, Forood teamed with Rachel Giscafre to reach the doubles semifinals.

Forood was a member of the Board of Women's Tennis Associates from 1979-1987 and served as its secretary-treasurer from 1983-87. She has been extremely active in promoting WTA events, and was the recipient of the prestigious WTA Player Service Award in 1983. After the tour and before coming back to Stanford, she promoted the first professional women's tour event in France from 1986-1988 at Strasbourg.

A San Francisco native who grew up in Mill Valley, New York and then Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Forood earned a degree in sociology from Stanford in 1978.