SPOKANE, Wash. - Pat Dreves, a Whitworth College alum and former men's tennis coach, will return to the Pirate coaching staff next season as the Assistant Coach for men's and women's tennis, and will also serve as the director of all programs at the Scotford Tennis Center.

Photo provided courtesy EWU

Dreves, who coached the men's team at Whitworth in 1996, went on to great success as the head coach at both Linfield College (1998-2002) and Eastern Washington University (2004 to current). Dreves was most recently named Big Sky Conference Men's Coach of the Year after leading the Eagles to a 14-12 record and third place conference finish. He developed the Linfield program into a regional power, winning men's and women's conference titles in 2002 and earning NWC Coach of the Year awards in 2000 (women) and 2001 (men).

"This is a great opportunity for me and my family," said Dreves, who graduated from Whitworth in 1995 after a successful tennis and soccer career. "Coming back to Whitworth has been a goal of mine since I started coaching college tennis. It will be a privilege to work with such an outstanding athletic department."

In addition to his collegiate coaching duties, Dreves has served as the Assistant Academy Coach and Head Teaching Pro for the Northwest Tennis Academy in Mill Creek, Washington from 2002 to 2004. He is currently the Director of Junior Development for the Spokane Club.

"Pat has been tremendously successful wherever he's been," said Whitworth Director of Athletics, Scott McQuilkin. "His presence on our staff will contribute greatly to the competitive success of our men's and women's tennis programs and our ability to recruit quality student-athletes."

Dreves will work with current head coaches Jo Ann Wagstaff (women) and Mike Shanks (men).

"Having a third coach for our programs will greatly improve our player-to-coach ratio," said Wagstaff, a two-time Coach of the Year winner. "A coach of Pat's caliber will immediately impact how our student-athletes will improve. Pat loves our college and genuinely wants success for our teams and I am very much looking forward to his presence on our campus."

"Whitworth is blessed to have a man of such high character and incredible ability to develop talent join it's coaching staff," said Shanks, the 2005 NWC Men's Coach of the Year. "His skills are highly respected throughout the Northwest and nationally".