MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University tennis program added a new member to its coaching staff on Tuesday, as coach Miha Lisac announced the hiring of assistant coach Jacob Eddins.
 
"We are very excited to welcome Jacob and his wife, Michaela, and their children to the Mountaineer family," Lisac said. "Jacob brings a wealth of coaching experience, recruiting connections and the Mountaineer mentality to help us on our journey to build one of the top programs in the Big 12 conference. We are thrilled to get them on their way and get into the season soon."
 
"I'm so excited to be joining Coach Miha Lisac and the Mountaineer family! When this positioned opened, I thought what an unbelievable opportunity this would be to be so close to home and be a part of the Big 12, which has grown into one of the most competitive conferences in the country," Eddins said. "I would like to thank head coach Miha Lisac as well as Director of Athletics Shane Lyons for providing me this opportunity to come back home to West Virginia. I look forward to helping build something special here at WVU and help this program continue to reach new heights. I would also like to thank my wife, Michaela, who has been in my corner from day one and supported me throughout this entire process! I can't wait to get to Morgantown."
 
A native of Huntington, West Virginia, Eddins comes to Morgantown after serving as the assistant coach at Auburn for one year. Prior to the 2018-19 season, he served as the associate head coach at Western Carolina, where he helped oversee one of the most successful stretches in WCU history that included a school-record win total in 2016.
 
Eddins' coaching career also includes stops at Pittsburgh, Cornell and Marshall.
 
He helped steadily improve the WCU women's tennis program over his five seasons with the Catamounts, including setting a record for most wins in a season in 2016 with 12. Eddins helped rewrite the WCU record book with five of his student-athletes holding top-10 single-season victories in Western Carolina history. Four of the top five spots on the career singles victories chart at WCU are held by players Eddins coached, including career leader Stacia Kissell with 37 victories at WCU in just three seasons. WCU's 12-11 record in 2016 marked the first winning season for the Catamounts since 1997.
 
Eddins' WCU tenure began after one year as the assistant coach at the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to his time at Pitt, Eddins spent one year as a volunteer assistant at Cornell University. He also served two years in the same position at Marshall for the women's tennis program while completing his undergraduate degree. While at Marshall, he helped the Thundering Herd win its fourth consecutive Mid-American Conference championship. As the assistant coach at Marshall in 2010, he helped guide the team to a national ranking as high as No. 28 and a second-place finish in the Conference USA Tournament.
 
Eddins has also coached in junior development programs over the past 10-plus years and currently holds an Elite Professional USPTA certification. He spent two years as the head tennis pro at Guyan Golf and Country Club in Huntington and was also the assistant director at the Allegheny Country Club in Pittsburgh, prior to coaching at Pitt.
 
Before his time at Marshall, he was a two-time West Virginia high school state singles champion, as well as the doubles state champion his senior year.
 
Eddins graduated from Marshall University in 2008 with a degree in business management and a minor in marketing.
 
He and his wife, Michaela Kissell-Eddins, have three children, Kylie, Gavin and Jayce.
 
Keep up with West Virginia women's tennis on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by following @WVUtennis.