COACHING STAFF

WADE MORGAN

Title: Head Coach

Wade Morgan enters year seven as the Head Coach for the DBU Men's and Women's Tennis teams.  In six seasons at the helm, Morgan has led the men’s and women’s teams at DBU to 159 wins, (279 career) while producing two NCAA All- Americans, 23 All-Conference selections, five ITA All-Scholar Academic Teams and a NCCAA Women’s Team Championship in 2018. The DBU Women’s Team under Coach Morgan has achieved winning seasons for six straight years.

During the 2022-2023 campaign, DBU Women’s Tennis saw unprecedented success, earning yet another winning season while defeating four nationally ranked opponents in team tennis, placing five players on the LSC All-Conference team, sending another player ( third in program history) in Angela Charles-Alfred ( LSC Newcomer of the year)  to the ITA Cup Fall National Tournament, Charles-Alfred would also pair with Freshman Jenna Payne to go on an incredible run at line 1 doubles, earning a National Ranking of 5, and DBU’s first ever All- American recognition. DBU men and women would also go on to earn the ITA South Central Community Service awards for the second consecutive year as well as ITA ALL-Scholar Academic team recognition.

During the 2021-2022 season, the women’s team reached an ITA National Ranking five year high of # 27 in the spring rankings, standout senior Taylor Leslie also reached 28 in the National Singles Rankings also securing the programs second at-Large Bid to the ITA Cup Fall National Tournament after her breakout run to the finals of the regional tournament. DBU women had multiple players earn regional rankings as well. History was made with the men’s tennis team with Grant Mckenzie being the first DBU men’s player to earn a National Singles Ranking. Both teams would get multiple players named to the All-Conference teams at the end of the year as well as winning the ITA South Central Region Community Service awards, another first for the program.

In the 2020-2021 year, DBU men and women had historic success, Morgan coached 2 players that were ultimately ranked in the ITA Top 50 in Taylor Leslie and Kate Daugherty, both would go on to win the Lone Star Conference Player of the Year and Senior of the Year awards respectively. The men made history as well winning matches against 2 LSC opponents for the first time in program history, the men would earn a regional ranking of 5, and the year would be capped off with a semi final appearance at the National Christian College Athletic Association National Championships in Mobile, AL. DBU also had 7 players ranked in the South Central Region, another program first.

In a 2019-2020 season that was cut short due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, DBU women finished their season with an overall record of 13-3, led by Kate Daugherty, who was tabbed the No. 3 player in singles in the South Central Region.  Daugherty also teamed with Taylor Leslie to earn a top 3 regional ranking in doubles. Daugherty made history in the fall of 2019, becoming to the first player in DBU Women's Tennis history to earn an at-large bid to the ITA Cup National Tournament. Daugherty briefly earned a top 15 ITA national singles ranking as well. The year was also historic for the men’s program as they earned an ITA South Central Regional Ranking for the first time in program history, Daugherty was also the winner of the ITA South Central Region Arthur Ashe leadership award for her role in community service and leadership that year.  The men finished the year 9-8 before the season was suspended.

In his second year, DBU saw the women’s team break into the ITA National Rankings for the first time in his tenure as head coach, reaching as high as No. 32 nationally and earning a spot in the Heartland Conference Tournament. At season’s end, DBU placed five players on the All-Heartland Conference Team and his number one doubles team of Claire Nguyen and Kate Daugherty earning a National Ranking of 18.

During his first season with the Patriots, Morgan helped produce three All-Heartland Conference selections while leading the women’s team to an NCCAA national title for the first time in six years and capped off the season with a 19-9 record.  Following the 2017-2018 season, Morgan was named the NCCAA Women’s Coach of the Year.  In his first season at the helm, Morgan also guided the men’s team to their best record in program history at 15-7.

Prior to his arrival at DBU, Morgan spent six years as Head Tennis Coach at Schreiner University from 2011-2018. During his tenure at Schreiner, Morgan coached 34 players who garnered All-Conference honors and 32 individuals received Academic All-Conference accolades, while several were recognized by the ITA for academic performance. Morgan was also named the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Women’s Coach of the Year for his team’s breakout run to the Conference finals in 2014.

While leading the programs at Schreiner, the men’s and women’s teams improved each year.  The women’s tennis program made school history in 2012-2013 with an 11-8 overall record and earned a berth in the conference tournament for the first time in Schreiner’s NCAA Division III era. The success continued in 2013-2014, as the Schreiner men earned the program’s first postseason win since 2005 in the SCAC Championships. The Schreiner women made history that year as well, finishing the season with a 13-9 record and a trip to the finals of the conference tournament. Not only was this the first tournament win for the program since 1999, but it was the first time ever that the women’s tennis team reached the conference finals. More success followed each year after and in 2017, Schreiner men’s tennis achieved the highest regional ranking in their program history with wins over four regionally ranked opponents.

While at Schreiner, Morgan also served as a Residence Director for Residence Life at Schreiner, as well as working with the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and served as the Compliance Officer for Schreiner University Athletic department for the 2017-2018 school year.

Wade is married to Gloria Morgan and are the parents of twin boys Jackson and Lanning.  The Morgan's live in Arlington, Texas, and are members of Tate Springs Baptist Church.

JOSH AYALA

Title: Assistant Coach

Josue (Josh) Ayala joined the DBU Tennis Coaching staff in the summer of 2022. During his first season as the assistant for DBU Tennis, the women’s team achieved yet another winning season which also included the programs first All-Americans in Jenna Payne and Angela Charles-Alfred, the lady patriots defeated 4 nationally ranked opponents during the historic year which ended with both programs winning yet another ITA South Central Community Service Award and achieving Academic All- Scholar teams. Ayala also coaches the club program at DBU, which continues to improve each year while finishing in the top 8 in the USTA Tennis on Campus Sectionals tournament last spring season.  Prior to arriving at DBU, he has an extensive background as a junior development coach here in the Metroplex working at two tennis centers, McLeland Tennis Center in Fort Worth and Walnut Creek Country Club in Mansfield.

During his time at McLeland Tennis Center, Ayala spent the majority of his time working with the junior development program, particularly summer camps. He also had a hand in building both women and men’s USTA league teams that competed out of McLeland. Every team he has coached has advanced far into the USTA Texas circuit. Currently, Josh is a teaching professional at Walnut Creek Country Club in Mansfield, Texas, where he works with their top-level junior players in their academy.

Ayala’s junior career is rooted in Texas where he played High School tennis in Grand Prairie and was the top player on his team. He then competed collegiately at NCAA Division III University of the Ozarks starting in the lineup as a freshman and made an immediate impact on that program.

Ayala also has experience as a youth and young adult’s pastor.  He has a calling in his life to work with young people and is passionate about helping them thrive on and off the court, especially in their walk with Christ.

Josh is married to Sandra, and has two kids Elvis age six , and Elena age four. They live in Fort Worth, and attend The Paradox Church.

GRANT MCKENZIE

Title: Graduate Assistant Coach

Grant Mckenzie enters his first year as the Graduate Assistant Coach for the Men’s Tennis program at DBU after a stellar five-year playing career for the Patriots. During his time at DBU, McKenzie became the first men’s player from to earn an ITA rational ranking. McKenzie also garnered All-Conference honors each year he played for the Patriots and was an ITA Scholar Athlete. Grant is pursuing his Masters degree in Psychology.

ANGELA CHARLES-ALFRED

Title: Graduate Assistant Coach

 Angela Charles-Alfred joins the coaching staff for the DBU Women’s Tennis team as the Graduate Assistant Coach after a record setting season in 2022 which ended with her being tabbed the program’s first NCAA All-American. She also was the third player in program history to earn a trip to the ITA Cup Fall National tournament. Charles-Alfred was ranked as high as No. 13 in singles nationally, and No. 5 in doubles with partner Jenna Payne. Charles-Alfred was named LSC Newcomer of the Year last season as well as First Team All-Lone Star Conference in both singles and doubles.