The UTR Pro Tennis Tour Podcast with James McKie

James McKie

All things tennis — with a fun, behind-the-scenes perspective. 🎾

Join me for real conversations with top players, coaches, and some of the most influential people in the game.

A former Division I player and coach, I’m now the Director of Player & Collegiate Development at UTR Sports, working at the intersection of college and professional tennis.

Hear what’s really happening inside top college programs, how the UTR Pro Tennis Tour is creating opportunities for players and programs, and what it takes to compete at the highest level.

Great guests. Real insight. Plenty of fun. All things tennis.

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21 episodes
Updated Wednesday

Episodes21

Newest first

Wednesday · 18 min
Sam C. Ehrlich - Associate Professor, Boise State - Ex-Lawyer / College Sports Law
Fascinating conversation here with Sam in regards to the recent ruling about student-athletes who enrolled in 2022. What does this ruling mean? What does the future hold? I HIGHLY advise all coaches, players and parent listen to real, legal information from a professional in the industry. The future is uncertain, be prepared!
July 29 · 52 min
Judy Murray OBE - Coach, Ex Fed Cup Captain, Leader.
Truly remarkable conversation with Judy Murray as she shares the experiences, lessons, and philosophies that have shaped her journey through the sport of tennis. Whether you’re an aspiring professional, parent, coach, or simply passionate about the game, this episode is packed with practical advice and valuable perspective. Judy discusses the importance of trusting your instincts, learning from others, embracing calculated risks, and always keeping the long-term development of players at the forefront. Growing up in Scotland, Judy coached me from a young age. She brought positivity on a daily basis and truly loves the game. Topics include: - What is Judy Murray doing now? 🤔 - Practical advice for parents raising young players 📚 - “Doubles is the bedrock of tennis.” 💪 - The continued rise of women’s tennis 📈👧 - Why college tennis plays such an important role in player development 🌎🇺🇸 Tune in!
July 23 · 43 min
Taylor Fogleman - Head Women's Tennis Coach, LSU
Taylor has built a powerhouse in Baton Rouge. How does he lead this team? He has built and incorporated professional tennis into the program - he had two players this year who played for the team and played Grand Slams during the college season. Great discussion involving many topics including the importance of getting enough matches, PTT, daily improvement and treating all players the same. Tune in!
July 15 · 36 min
Johannus Monday - Tennessee Alum / UTR 14.3 / ATP 285
Johannus Monday went from a 12.2 UTR with no college offers to the #1 player in college tennis. A lot of players and parents can learn from this. Johannus went to the correct school for him, listened, matured and arguably will go down as one of the best to play college tennis. Listen to his story as Jo is now competing on the pro tour. Highs and lows, injuries, scheduling, sponsors and many more topics. Make sure you are READY before turning pro. We also discussed doubles and NIL. Tune in!
July 1 · 21 min
Thomas Anderson - Chairman & Founder - USP
Listen to one of the experts in the industry! Great discussion with Thomas Anderson covering many topics regarding college tennis. Thomas and his team have been placing prospective student-athletes for over 30 years and has real advice for players seeking college life in the US. Times are changing for Olympic sports like tennis. Choose the correct school for YOU. Tune in!
June 12 · 26 min
Mark Weaver - Head Women's Tennis Coach, Texas A&M
Fresh off another National Championship, Mark Weaver and the Aggies are at the top of the game. How do they run this program? Find out. Great discussion with Mark covering many important topics including the transfer portal, NIL, recruiting and the NCAA tournament. What does the future look like for our championships. Orlando for 10 years? Make or break for our sport in my opinion. Tune in!
May 19 · 20 min
Jay Udwadia - Head Men's Tennis Coach, University of Arkansas
ARKANSAS TENNIS IS BACK! Crazy few weeks for everyone in Fayetteville. Tune in and listen to what has transpired at Arkansas since they were told the programs would be eliminated 3 weeks ago. Donors have stepped up and raised over $5m in 3 days! Huge kudos to all student-athletes at Arkansas who have returned to play for the Hogs. This is amazing news for not only college tennis but for all Olympic sports.
May 1 · 32 min
Matt Knoll - American College Placement
Very interesting discussion here with Matt Knoll! Matt coached most recently at Baylor for 22 seasons won 12 conference championships and a National Championship in 2004. What was his secret? Tune in! He gives a very honest opinion about college tennis and what he think needs to happen. Should cheering be allowed at any time during a dual match? What is Matt doing now? Find out!
April 28 · 19 min
Tucker Clary - Head Women's Tennis Coach, University of Arkansas
Arkansas men's and women's tennis was just informed last week that their sport was going to be eliminated. Terrible day for Tucker, Jay, Arkansas and the sport of college tennis. Tucker breaks down what actually happened, next steps and gives real advice to college tennis coaches and programs. Do not wait. Be proactive. Make your program a UTR hub and pump revenue into your budget. Camps, circuits, open events, PTT. So many creative ways to help your programs make money. Let's all support Tucker and Arkansas tennis during this difficult time.
April 21 · 39 min
Chris Halioris - Founder, College Tennis Ranks
THE NCAA TOURNAMENT IS UPON US! Get behind the scenes access to potential seedings, host sites, Super Regional blockbuster showdowns and BUBBLE watch! Chris is the true expert and breaks down potential pods, hosts and who's likely to get the nod next week on the selection show. Must listen for college tennis coaches, players and fans. See you in Athens!
April 2 · 17 min
Jay Udwadia - Head Men's Tennis Coach - University of Arkansas
Reporting LIVE from the breakfast room of SEC travel. Get a small inside look into a game day routine for the Razorbacks. What does Jay believe in? What type of recruit is he looking for? Tune in and find out. Good and honest discussion with Jay about his coaching style and how things have changed for him over the years. Lastly, the UTR Pro Tennis Tour is coming to Fayetteville this fall and Jay is a huge believer in the product and system!
March 26 · 31 min
Ross Wilson - Head Men's Tennis Coach - Grand Canyon University
Want honesty? Tune in. Ross was the Head Coach at Iowa and built a top 25 program from the bottom. Then one day, he was told the program was being cut. 51 tennis programs were cut last year. What is the next step to support a non revenue sport like college tennis? Ross is now at GCU and is building a very good program. What is his secret to re building? Why does he use a date to play PTT during the season? Very good episode. Tune in!
March 19 · 37 min
Colin Fleming - Top 20 ATP and Tennis Commentator
Certain episodes are special and this is a good one! Players really need to listen to this one. Every player has their own path, be yourself and follow your dreams! Colin pursued a career in business and realized his passion was in the game of tennis. He ended up being top 20 in the world and now commentating around the world in tennis. Great stories about Andy Murray, Davis Cup as well as his opinion on professional tennis today. Colin also played at the University of Stirling in Scotland (PTT host in 2026)
March 12 · 26 min
Matt Hill - Head Men's Tennis Coach, Arizona State University
Matt Hill and the ASU Sun Devils are headed to the UTR College Championships this weekend at Indian Wells. Special weekend and experience for all programs involved. Matt has been a Head Coach for 15 years and is having one of the best seasons in his career. What is is why? What is he looking for in recruits? How does he run his program? How do they use UTR on a daily basis in their program? Tune in and find out!
March 10 · 34 min
Chris Doerr - Head Men's Tennis Coach, University of Memphis
Chris and the Memphis Tigers are one of 4 schools heading to the BNP UTR College Championships this weekend at Indian Wells. Amazing opportunity for all schools involved!! Great discussion about why he advises his players to play PTT, the future of college tennis and what it is like coaching at a Mid-Major. Memphis has a brand new $8m tennis facility and have incredible resources in the AAC conference. Great stories about former players like Joe Salisbury too! Tune in!
March 7 · 37 min
Johnny Barr - Wimbledon Member
Johnny Barr has a heavy involvement in British Tennis and a huge believer in the college system in the US. He has a huge role in leading Wimbledon Qualifying and is a member of the All England Club. Great discussion about National Club League, British tennis, UTR, Andy Murray and advice for current professional tennis players!
March 1 · 27 min
Todd Wojtkowski - Head Men's Tennis Coach, Case Western Reserve University
Special discussion here with Todd who "owes his life to the game of tennis". Todd took over a program at the bottom and recently reached the mountain top winning the national championship in 2023 for CWRU. What is the next step for Todd and CWRU? Find out. Great stories about James Hopper, Ty Tucker and The Ohio State Buckeyes along with the importance of UTR for college tennis.
February 25 · 23 min
Jamie Hunt - Head Men's Tennis Coach - University of Georgia
What does Jamie believe in as a coach? Positivity, family and character are a few words that come to mind! Jamie won multiple championships as player and as a coach at UGA. He is now the Head Coach, leading his alma mater and living his dream situation. He was teammates with amazing players like John Isner. Huge partner of UTR and host multiple PTT events each year. Tune in!
February 13 · 32 min
Andrew Donovan - President - Altius Sports Partners
Want insight into the world of NIL and revenue generation in college athletics? Tune in and listen to one of the best in the industry. Andrew Donovan was a senior administrator, most recently at the University of Tennessee, and is now the President of Altius Sports Partners (ASP). ASP delivers game plans for transforming complex challenges into competitive advantages. Whether it’s optimizing revenue streams or creating operational efficiencies, key decision-makers in collegiate athletics trust Altius with their toughest issues. Andrew has advice for college tennis coaches in thinking creatively to generate revenue for your program and advice for tennis student-athletes in growing their personal brand.
February 9 · 19 min
Sandy Franz - Director of College - UTR Sports
All college coaches need to listen. It is SO easy to grow revenue for you or your program with UTR Sports. I wish I knew about this when I was a coach! Coaches are making thousands of dollars and engaging their local community every week. Trust me, it is simple! Get on board, pump revenue into your program and reach out to Sandy at sandy.franz@utrsports.com !