Castleton

Spartans

Rob Purdy is in his tenth season as head coach of the Castleton women's tennis team.

Climbing back above .500 and securing 9-5 and 6-1 records overall and in the league, respectively, Castleton made it into the conference championship for the ninth consecutive year in 2017. Purdy led six players to All-NAC recognition, including Megan Nadler and Ciara Bannister who were named to the conference's All-First Team. He also earned his third conference Coach of the Year award after leading the Spartans to a two-win improvement in both records. 

The Spartans had banner years in 2014 and 2015, as they went 11-4 and 11-3, respectively. They also posted 5-1 and 5-2 records in the conference, respectively. They reached the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) East Title contest for the sixth straight year in 2015, before falling to Colby-Sawyer. Eleven different Castleton athletes earned all-conference recognition during the two-year span, led by Meghan Susslin's first-team selection in 2014.

In Purdy's first two seasons he piloted the Spartans to a 27-7 overall mark, a pair of (NEAC) titles, two berths in the NCAA National Tournament and has twice been named NEAC East Division Coach of the Year.

A USPTA certified tennis professional, Purdy is the Head Tennis Pro at Vermont Sport and Fitness in Rutland, Vermont and has over 30 years of teaching and coaching experience at all levels. Most recently at Green Mountain College

The 1987 graduate of Lyndon State College received his coaching certificate from the Sanchez/Casals tennis academy and has coached many of the area’s top high school players who have gone on to successful collegiate careers, as well as USTA Futures and Challenger Tournaments.

Purdy spent two seasons as Head Coach of the Castleton men’s and women’s tennis teams in the early 1980’s and was an assistant with the women’s team during the 2008 and 2009 seasons.

He spent 16 seasons at Green Mountain as head coach of the men’s team and was the head coach of the women’s team prior to it being dropped as a varsity sport. Purdy was named NAIA Men’s Coach of the Year in Region 10 four-straight seasons from 2000-2003, winning Mayflower titles from 2001-2003 and advancing to the NAIA National Tournament.

With the women’s team at GMC, Purdy led the Eagles to the NAIA National Tournament in 1999 and earned a Mayflower title in 2002.