Kelly Chen is in her first season as the Furman women's tennis assistant coach.
"One of my questions for the team during my interview process was what qualities they would like to see in an assistant coach. Kelly Chen, without a doubt, checks all the marks," said Paladin head coach Michelle Dasso. "She is an exceptional player, well respected within the tennis community, and had an extraordinary career balancing strong academics and athletics at Duke. The respect Kelly and I have for each other will make for a fun and dynamic pairing."
A native of Cerritos, Calif., Chen was a five-time ITA All-American at Duke from 2018-22. The 2018 ITA Carolina Region Freshman of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year, she went on to qualify for the NCAA singles championship in 2018, 2019, and 2021 and finished as a semifinalist in 2019. A Blue Devil team captain, Chen was a member of the nation's top-ranked doubles team by the ITA and ranked as high as fifth nationally in singles. She was named to the NCAA All-Tournament team in 2022.
Prior to her time at Furman, Chen served as a volunteer assistant coach at Northwestern, where she committed her time to increasing the physical, mental, and technical skills of the student-athletes in the women's tennis program. She also has previous experience as a personal coach to some of the nation's top recruits in her native Southern California.
A decorated junior player, Chen was a finalist at the USTA National Hard Courts Championship and a quarter finalist at the U.S. Open Juniors. Professionally, Chen won the Austin ITF 10K in 2014 and participated in the qualifying draw of the U.S. Open where she took Su Wei Hsieh, who has a WTA singles career high of 23, to a deciding set.
"I would like to thank coach Michelle Dasso, Drew Ingraham, and Furman for this great opportunity," said Chen. "I am looking forward to helping our players become the best student-athletes, both on and off the court. I am also excited to continue the traditions that the Furman women's tennis program has established. Coach Michelle Dasso taught me a lot as a player, and I am ready to learn more from her as her assistant coach.Â
"I would like to thank my family and friends for supporting me through this journey; and a big thank you to my teammates and support staff at Duke. I am beyond thrilled and ready to embark on a new chapter at Furman and in the Greenville area. Go Dins!" Â
A 2022 graduate of Duke with a bachelor's degree in psychology, Chen minored in sociology and earned a certificate in markets and management. She was honored as an ITA Scholar Athlete and named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll. Chen participated in the Duke Athletics' Leadership Enrichment and Development Program and volunteered with Read with Blue Devils, where she visited Durham County elementary schools to engage in academic activities with students.
