Eric Shore, Auburn's all-time winningest men's tennis coach, enters his 17th season on the plains in 2008. After posting a 15-10 record in 2007, Shore now holds a 234-184 career record at Auburn for a .560 winning percentage. Since beginning his Auburn coaching career before the 1991 season, Shore has established Auburn as one of the top programs in the country, averaging nearly 15 wins per season with 13 NCAA Tournament appearances. Shore became the all-time winningest men's tennis coach in Auburn history on Feb. 5, 2005 as he guided his squad to a victory over Samford to capture win No. 193. Shore passed former head coach Hugh Thomson's 192 career wins as the latter was head coach from 1982-1990. Since coming to Auburn in 1990, Shore has guided the Tigers to five top-15 finishes and 13 NCAA tournament appearances in the last 14 years, including three Sweet 16 appearances and two top-eight appearances. Under Shore's guidance, the Tigers have had 12 All-America selections and 16 All-SEC honorees. In addition, 27 Tigers have participated in the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships since Shore came to Auburn. At the 2005 Wimbledon Championships, former Auburn great and Shore-coached Stephen Huss rewrote history, along with partner Wesley Moodie, by becoming the first qualifiers ever to capture the Gentlemen's Doubles Title. Huss also became the first Auburn tennis player ever to win a Wimbledon title. Last season, Auburn advanced to its eight NCAA Tournament in a row, following a 15-10 season. The Tigers beat Georgia State in its first-round match, but fell to eventual national champion Georgia in the second round. Seniors Robbert Lathouwers and Alex Schweizer kept going, though, as the pair advanced to the NCAA Singles Tournament. In 2006, the men's squad made it seven straight seasons when the group qualified for the NCAA Tournament. Even though Auburn lost to Florida State in the first round, the Tigers concluded the 2006 campaign with a winning record as the team was 14-11 (.560). In 2005, Shore's team compiled a 13-10 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA tournament before falling to Ole Miss. Gabor Zoltan Pelva qualified in singles play and with doubles partner Alex Scxhweizer. Shore coached Pelva to the second round of singles play and the pair into the quarterfinals. In 2004, Shore led the Tigers to their fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance after posting an 11-12 record during the regular season. Auburn fell to Texas in the first round, but saw Pelva advance to the `Final Four' of tennis after entering the tournament unranked. The 2002 season proved to be one of many successes as Shore led the doubles team of Andrew Colombo and Mark Kovacs to the NCAA title. The duo went on to earn the honor of ITA Doubles Team of the Year. In the same season, the team advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Championships for the third time in school history, defeating East Tennessee State, Mississippi State and Washington before falling to #4 UCLA in the quarterfinal round. Shore also led the Tigers to the quarters in 1998, defeating Illinois in the Sweet 16. In addition to the many honors Shore's athletes have earned, he has also coached 18 players ranked in the final top 50 season rankings, including 11 ranked in the top-25 in singles and doubles. During his tenure at Auburn, Shore has coached eight All-Americans, including 2005 Wimbeldon Doubles Champion Stephen Huss. A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Shore graduated from Francis Marion College in Florence, S.C., in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. While at Francis Marion, Shore finished his playing career ranked 20th nationally in NAIA singles. Immediately after graduation, Shore was employed as the assistant tennis pro at the Scarsdale Golf Club in Hartsdale, N.Y. After leaving New York, he returned to South Carolina to coach the men's and women's tennis teams at Francis Marion and worked as an assistant pro at the Florence Country Club. In 1985, Shore took over as assistant coach at the University of South Carolina and was instrumental in helping the Gamecocks achieve a top-five national ranking in 1989. While at South Carolina, he earned a master's degree in physical education in 1990. Shore also served as coordinator of the United States Tennis Association Boys' National Intersectional Team Championships. Shore was named Auburn men's tennis coach prior to the 1991 season. Following a three-year rebuilding program, Shore led the Tigers' to a fifth-place finish in the SEC in just his fourth season. Shore and his wife, Ann, have two daughters, Brooke (12) and Francie (6). |
 
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