Erin Ness Erin Ness serves as head women's tennis coach and senior woman administrator for athletics.

W&L News Office
October 18, 2022

Q. How long have you worked at W&L?
I have worked at W&L for 11 years.

Q. What is your favorite course to teach?
Squash — I love getting to know various students from across the campus. Squash can be a challenging and frustrating game so I try to make fun for students to learn.

Q. What is the most satisfying aspect of teaching?
All the lives I have changed through my life lesson Wednesdays.

Q. What do you like most about working at W&L?
The campus is gorgeous, but I love the people I work with. Athletics is a great department to be in. I love being surrounded by driven and successful individuals every day and know I can count on anyone in the department to help me out if needed.

Q. Where is your favorite location on the W&L campus?
The Duchossois Tennis Center.

Q. Where did you grow up?
Sacramento, California

Q. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I originally wanted to be a marine biologist. However, I took a career finder test for teens in high school and it told me I should pursue clown school.

Q. Who inspired you to teach?
Bob Hansen. Bob was the UC Santa Cruz men’s tennis coach when I was playing and coaching there. He is now finishing his last semester at Middlebury College. Bob is the best coach in Division III and has an ability to make his athletes believe they can do more than they think they are capable of. He has coached for 40 years and still tries to figure out how to constantly be a better coach and human. He has won eight NCAA championships and is like a second father to me.

Q. What book are you reading?
“Rise” by Lindsey Vonn.

Q. What music are you listening to these days?
I am currently on a rotation of Beyonce’s new album and my playlist titled “Stuff.”

Q. What is the website you visit most often?
I frequently visit ESPN and Bleacher Report because I want to win every fantasy football league I am in and beat (coach) Bryan Snyder ’95.

Q. If you could have coffee with one person (living or deceased), who would it be?
I would say Lorne Michaels or Moms Mabely. I have always wanted to be on Saturday Night Live and love the art of comedy. When I was a student at UCSC, I took a stand-up comedy class and am fascinated by how a joke is created and the teamwork that goes into improv comedy.

Q. Where would you build your dream home?
Big Sur on the California Central Coast.

Q. Your favorite movie of all time?
“Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back”

Q. What is your desert island food?
Shrimp burrito from Tacqueria in Santa Cruz, California

Q. Tell us something most people don’t know about you.
I’m an only child but that also explains a lot of the awkwardness/weirdness/charm.

Q. What is your secret talent?
Reciting Will Ferrell movie quotes.

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