CoachBriceBishop2021

Brice Bishop

Former University of North Alabama tennis standout Brice Bishop is in his 12th consecutive season as the Lions head men’s and women’s tennis coach. Bishop, who lettered in tennis at UNA from 1982-85, is in his third stint at the helm of the program and has coached the Lions in 20 total seasons.

The Sheffield native coached the UNA women’s tennis teams and men’s and women’s cross country squads from 1988-90 before resigning to become tennis director at the Huntsville Athletic Club. He returned to campus in 1997 to lead the men’s and women’s tennis programs.

In 2004, Bishop left to become head tennis coach and director of women’s athletics at Shoals Christian School. He returned to lead the program in 2010.

During his time at UNA, he led the men’s team to 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and the women to 11 total NCAA Division II regionals. Biship also led North Alabama as the school began its transition to NCAA Division I tennis in the 2018-19 season as a member of the ASUN Conference.

He was inducted into the UNA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001 and was inducted into the Colbert County Sports Hall of Fame the following year.

Bishop was North Alabama’s first All-American in tennis, posting a 54-19 singles record his final two seasons while winning back-to-back Gulf South Conference individual championships.

Since returning to North Alabama, Bishop has led the UNA women’s team to a return trip to the NCAA Tournament. Following a two-year absence, the Lions returned to the South Region Tournament in 2011. He has also led the program through its transition into the NCAA Division I level in the ASUN Conference.

Bishop holds a bachelor’s degree in health, physical education, recreation and dance from UNA and a Master’s degree in physical education from Western Carolina. He and his wife, former UNA cross country runner and fellow Hall-of-Fame inductee Carol Franklin, have two daughters, Mackenzie who also lettered for the Lions in tennis,  and Lee-Taylor, and a son, Will, who pitches on the UNA baseball team.