SMU Athletics

Brigit Folland opens her fourth year (2022-23) as the assistant coach at SMU after being hired on July 9, 2019.

In her third season on the Mustang staff, Folland helped lead the Mustangs to their eighth appearance at the AAC Tournament, and fourth-consecutive winning season since her and head coach Jeff Nevolo took charge of the program. Three all-conference selections (Hadley Doyle, Jackie Nylander, Lexi Keberle) marks the first time the Mustangs placed three of their own on the All-AAC team, and first time three Mustangs were named all-conference selections in the same year since 2009 (Conference USA). The Mustangs took off on two separate four-match win streaks and notched six wins over ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) top-60-ranked programs, while achieving a national ranking as high as 36 – the highest team ranking the Mustangs had earned since 2011.

In Folland’s second season, the Mustangs closed the year with a 21-10 record, as the 2020-21 team captured the most wins for the program since the 2010-2011 campaign. SMU climbed as high as No. 38 and led this team to the conference semifinal. Jackie Nylander and Hadley Doyle were each named All-Conference unanimously, which marked the first time the Mustangs have had two conference selections since 2017. SMU secured the fourth most wins in the country. 

During her first season at SMU (2019-20), Folland helped the Mustangs to a 9-5 record (2-1 AAC) before the season was shortened due to COVID-19. She was instrumental in helping shape the young SMU team that started the season 6-0. The freshman pair of Jackie Nylander and Isabella Tcherkes Zade ended the season as a No. 60-ranked doubles duo and Nylander was named the ITA Texas Region Rookie of the Year.

Before coming to the Hilltop, Folland spent two seasons as a graduate assistant coach for the men’s tennis program at Lenoir-Rhyne in Hickory, North Carolina after graduating from South Carolina, where she played for now-SMU head coach Jeff Nevolo.

While at Lenoir-Rhyne, the Bears improved in the win column each of her two seasons. During the 2018-19 campaign, the Bears went 18-5 and finished as the No. 33 ranked team in the country, advancing to the semifinals of the South Atlantic Conference Championship. She was named Men's Region Assistant Coach of the Year, the only female recognized on the men's side.

Before beginning her coaching career, Folland was a four-year standout at the University of South Carolina. Folland racked up 91 singles wins in her time in Columbia and won 81 doubles matches. During her time there, the Gamecocks advanced to the NCAA Tournament every year, moving on to at least the round of 32 each season. With Folland as captain in 2017, the Gamecocks advanced to the Sweet 16. The Gamecocks finished in the top 30 of the ITA Final rankings every season with Folland on the roster. She was named team MVP in her junior and senior seasons and was an ITA Scholar-Athlete all four years. 

Before her collegiate career, Folland was the top-ranked junior player in the United Kingdom. Folland is a native of Bristol, England.