Mark Downs enters his 3rd season as Head Coach of the Men’s and Women’s Tennis teams at Miami University Hamilton. He led the Men’s team to the ORCC title during the 2011 season and also guided the Women’s squad to a 2nd place finish during his first season. Coach Downs has been involved in tennis for the past 27 years in Hamilton, Ohio. He served as the Men’s Tennis coach at Hamilton High School from 2000-2009. He also coached the Women’s Tennis team at Big Blue in 2004. In addition to coaching, Mark has been teaching Mathematics for the past 29 years at Hamilton High School after starting his career at Madison Central High School in Richmond, Kentucky in 1982. Coach Downs also works as an Adjunct Mathematics Instructor at Miami University Hamilton, a position he’s held since 2008 to 2010. Mark graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. He later attended Miami University and graduated with a Master of Arts in Teaching Mathematics in 1990. Mark has been married to Kathy, also a Miami Alum, for 30 years.  they have three children; Jessica 25, John 24, and Sam 22 and one grandchild, Ben 3.

Chris Cannon begins his 3rd season as Assistant Coach of the Miami University Hamilton Men’s and Women’s Tennis teams. Chris has worked as an Assistant Coach in Hamilton, Ohio for the greater part of the last decade. He has five years of experience both coaching and teaching tennis. Chris also has experience as an Assistant Coach at Hamilton High School. Personally, Mark is a proud entrepreneur, husband and father. He recently opened True West Coffee this past December in Hamilton with the assistance of his wife Vanessa. Both hope to make the restaurant an affordable, family friendly option for residents in the area. Coach Cannon attended Ohio University, where he met his wife Vanessa. He and Vanessa have been married for nearly 10 years and have 6-year old West, 3-year old Penelope and and 4-month old Clementine.