TROY, N.Y. - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) director of athletics Jim Knowlton has announced the hiring of Erica Hollot as the head women's tennis coach. She fills the vacancy left by former head coach Carol Pillsworth, who retired in May of 2009.

"I am very excited about the opportunity to work with the women's tennis program at Rensselaer,” said Hollot. “It's a great campus community where students can be successful both in the classroom and on the court. I see outstanding potential for women's tennis at RPI and I look forward to being a part of it."

Hollot, a native of Northampton, Mass., spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the Smith College women's tennis team. She also served as an assistant tennis professional during the summers of 2008 & 2009 at the Dublin Lake Club, where she also taught private and group lessons from beginners to advanced and elite players

“I am extremely excited to have Erica join our team,” said Knowlton. “She is someone with outstanding experience in her sport and tremendous recruiting connections that will benefit our women's tennis program. She has excellent character and brings excitement, new ideas and opportunities to our student-athletes.”

Hollot helped guide the Smith Pioneers to back-to-back quarterfinal appearances in the NEWMAC Tournament in her first two seasons and to the semifinals in 2009. She assisted in all aspects of the program, from organizing and conducting practice to recruiting players. Additionally, she performed administrative duties and helped organize fundraising efforts for the team, while also teaching performance classes for students, faculty and staff.

Prior to arriving at Smith, Hollot served as the head coach for the girls' tennis team at Holyoke Catholic High School. She helped lead a young and inexperienced team to a 9-6 record and a playoff berth. She also coached a player to the Western Massachusetts Individual Tournament Finals.

From 2001-05, Hollot was an undergraduate at Boston College, where she served as a resident assistant and helped foster the growth of 94 students in a resident hall community. In addition to providing peer counseling, she helped organize educational and social programs, while enforcing residence hall policies and procedures.

Hollot, who currently holds a 4.5 United States Tennis Association ranking, played tennis competitively following college in USTA women's league play. She also helped lead Holyoke Catholic High School to its first-ever state semifinal appearance during her high school career.

Hollot earned her Bachelor of Arts in human development and French from Boston College in 2005. In addition to graduating magna cum laude, she was a Dean's List honoree, a member of the Phi Delta Phi French National Honor Society and was awarded the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award. She later completed her Master of Science in exercise and sport studies from Smith College in 2009.