Ashe Ray enters his second season with the LSU women’s tennis program and first as associate coach ahead of the 2026-27 season.
In his first season in Baton Rouge, Ray helped LSU post a 22-10 overall record, climb into the top five of the national rankings, advance to the program’s first SEC Tournament Championship match and reach the NCAA Elite Eight for the second consecutive season. The Tigers produced four All-SEC selections during the campaign, highlighted by Cadence Brace earning First Team All-SEC honors and her second consecutive ITA Singles All-American distinction. Addison Lanton was named ITA Southern Region Rookie of the Year, while Ella McDonald earned ITA Southern Region Player to Watch honors.
Before his coaching stint, Ray was a four-year player on the men's tennis team at Wofford. In that time, he played primarily at the top of the lineup. Ray earned a spot on the Southern Conference All-Freshman Team in 2020-21 and Southern Conference All-Academic Team in 2021-22.
Ray has competed in ITF futures tournaments at the 15k and 25K level, also serving as a hitting partner for players currently competing on the WTA and ATP tour.
Before coming to Elon, Ray was a four-year player on the men's tennis team at Wofford College playing primarily at the top of the lineup. During his time at Wofford, he earned a spot on the Southern Conference All-Freshman Team in 2020-21 and Southern Conference All-Academic Team in 2021-22.
Ray was a five-star recruit coming from Spartanburg High School where he won multiple state and national team championships ranking as high as No. 2 in South Carolina in his age group. He received the 2015 South Carolina Tennis Association Sportsmanship Award in 2015-16 and the First Rex Maynard Award, given to the Junior Male Player of the Year in South Carolina in 2019-20. Ray has also competed in ITF futures tournaments at the 15k and 25K level. He has also been a hitting partner for players currently competing on the WTA and ATP tour.
Ray graduated from Wofford with a bachelor's degree in finance and accounting with a minor in education.