University of Arizona Athletics

2019, 2021 & 2024 Pac-12 Coach of the Year
2019 & 2024 ITA Southwest Region Coach of the Year
2016 Mountain West Coach of the Year
2016 Wilson/ITA Mountain Region Coach of the Year

Clancy Shields, who has extended his contract through 2029, has elevated Arizona Men’s Tennis into a perennial national contender and one of the most consistently successful programs in the country. Now in the Big 12 Conference, Shields guided the Wildcats through a dominant 2024–25 season—Arizona’s first as a Big 12 member—culminating in a Sweet 16 appearance, a 26-5 overall record, and the program’s first Big 12 Tournament Championship.

The 2024–25 season marked the Wildcats’ third consecutive NCAA Sweet 16 appearance, a feat unmatched in program history. Shields’ coaching led to individual and team achievements that solidified Arizona’s national standing and extended its reputation as one of the toughest home teams in the nation.

Colton Smith, who completed an undefeated senior season, earned ITA Singles All-America honors, finished the year ranked No. 3 nationally, and made a splash on the professional stage. Smith won the Cleveland ATP Challenger, advanced through the first round of the ATP 1000 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, and reached the quarterfinals of the ATP 250 in Houston, climbing to a career-high ATP ranking of No. 161.

Jay Friend capped off an exceptional season by earning ITA Academic All-America honors, advancing to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Singles Championship, and finishing the season ranked No. 9 nationally—joining Smith to give Arizona two top-10 singles players for the first time in school history. Both were named 2025 ITA Singles All-Americans.

In previous seasons, Shields coached senior captain Jonas Ziverts to the program's first ITA Southwest Region Player of the Year award and Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors. In 2021, the team made its first-ever NCAA Sweet 16 appearance and posted a then-program-record 21 wins.

Shields, a three-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year (2019, 2021, 2024) and two-time ITA Southwest Region Coach of the Year (2019, 2024), has led the Wildcats to unprecedented success. Arizona captured three straight regular-season conference championships from 2022–2024 in the Pac-12 and hosted the NCAA first and second rounds for three consecutive years.

His impact on the program has been transformative: four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, multiple All-Americans, a surge in national rankings (including a program-best No. 5 ITA team ranking in 2024), and an elevated standard of excellence. Shields continues to position Arizona as a national power in the Big 12 era.

Prior to Arizona, Shields led Utah State to the 2016 Mountain West title and was named both MWC Coach of the Year and Wilson/ITA Mountain Region Coach of the Year.

As a student-athlete at Boise State, Shields was a four-time Academic All-WAC honoree and the 2009 WAC Player of the Year, helping lead the Broncos to an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. Shields was ranked as high as No. 17 nationally in singles and No. 11 in doubles.