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Stella Sampras Webster enters her 13th season as the head coach of the UCLA women's tennis program, taking a career record of 210-103 (.671) into the 2009 season. She is only the third head coach in UCLA women's tennis history, following Bill Zaima (1972-76 & 1986-96) and Gayle Godwin (1977-86).
Sampras Webster is coming off a dream season in 2008, leading the Bruins to their first NCAA Championship and first national championship since 1981 (AIAW). UCLA finished last season with a 24-5 overall record, marking the most wins for the program since 1982. Seeded No. 7 in last year's tournament, the Bruins' dramatic run to the title culminated with a 4-0 victory over Cal in the final in Tulsa, Okla. It marked the 102nd NCAA title in UCLA history. Sampras Webster also guided the Bruins to their first Pac-10 Championship last year, finishing the conference season with a 7-1 record. She was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year at the end of the season.
Few college coaches can match Sampras Webster's ability to continually put their teams in the title hunt year in and year out as, prior to last year's championship season, she guided the program to a pair of second place finishes in 2004 and 2007. In all, Sampras Webster has led the Bruins 11 top 10 finishes in 12 seasons in Westwood. UCLA has also finished in the top 5 nationally on seven occasions (1997, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008).
Sampras Webster, the 2000 ITA West Region Coach of the Year, has recruited and coached some of the top players in collegiate tennis. Under her tutelage, a total of 15 players have achieved All-America status. Her most recent prodigy, Riza Zalameda, was a four-time All-American and the Most Outstanding Player at last year's NCAA Championships. She and partner Tracy Lin captured the NCAA Doubles title in 2008, marking the second UCLA team to capture the doubles title under Sampras Webster's tenure. Lauren Fisher and Daniela Bercek also won the title in 2004.
A 1991 graduate of UCLA with a degree in Psychology, Sampras Webster enjoyed a successful four-year career as a Bruin player from 1987-91 and competed on the pro circuit for a season prior to joining Zaima's staff. An NCAA Doubles Champion as a freshman in 1988 with Allyson Cooper, Sampras Webster was also the NCAA doubles runner-up as a senior in 1991 with Kimberly Po. A four-time All-American, Sampras Webster was only the second player in UCLA history to obtain this status. She also won the 1989 and '91 Pac-10 doubles championship and the 1990 Rolex Regional doubles title. Sampras Webster completed her UCLA career ranked No. 3 nationally in doubles and No. 42 in singles. Team accomplishments were most important to Sampras Webster, who helped lead the Bruins to four straight NCAA top-three finishes.
As a professional, Sampras Webster's highest international singles ranking was No. 248, and her best in doubles was No. 142. Her professional highlights include competing in both singles and doubles at the U.S. Open and Lipton Championships. She advanced to the U.S. Open second round in doubles and also competed in doubles at Wimbledon. She also won three satellite tournament titles and competed in Team Tennis for the Wichita Advantage in 1992.
Born in Potomac, Md., Sampras Webster moved to the Los Angeles area as a child and graduated from Palos Verdes High School. A top-three player in Southern California and among the top 10 in the country as a junior, Sampras Webster claimed the CIF doubles title as a freshman and the singles title as a senior in 1987. She capped her high school career by being named her school's Athlete of the Year.
The second-oldest of four children of Sam and Georgia Sampras, Stella considers the support of her entire family most significant. Younger brother Pete demonstrated his level of support for Stella and the Bruin program when he personally endowed a scholarship and assisted with the important fund-raising effort in Stella's first fall at the helm. Pete won a record 14 Grand Slam singles titles during his playing days, including seven Wimbledon championships.
Sampras Webster and her husband, Steve, were married on Jan. 3, 2002 in Dana Point, Calif. They are the proud parents of twin girls Sophia and Savannah.
