JONESBORO, Ark. (7/9/26) – Arkansas State Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Chris Pezman announced Thursday that women's tennis head coach Sujay Lama has signed a new agreement that extends his contract to June 30, 2030.
 
"Sujay Lama has established Arkansas State Women's Tennis as one of the premier programs in the Sun Belt Conference through his unwavering commitment to excellence, student-athlete development, and championship-level success," said Pezman. "His leadership has produced consistent results on the court while fostering a culture that emphasizes academic achievement, personal growth, and competitive excellence.
 
"This contract extension reflects our confidence in Sujay's vision for the future of the program and our appreciation for the impact he continues to make on our student-athletes and the university. We are proud of the success our women's tennis program has achieved under his leadership and are excited about the continued growth and opportunities ahead. Sujay represents the very best of Arkansas State Athletics, and we look forward to supporting him as he continues to elevate Red Wolves Tennis in the years to come."
 
Lama completed his third season at A-State in 2026 by leading the Red Wolves to their first Division I postseason appearance and a championship at the UTR Sports NIT. A-State concluded the 2026 campaign with a 16-9 record, the program's best finish since posting a 16-8 mark in 2002.
 
"I want to sincerely thank our leadership team—Vice Chancellor for Intercollegiate Athletics Chris Pezman, Interim Chancellor Dr. Calvin White, and System President Dr. Todd Shields—for their faith, trust, and belief in our vision for A-State Women's Tennis," said Lama. "Their support has been instrumental in the growth of our program, and I am honored by the opportunity to continue leading our student-athletes. I also want to recognize assistant coach Marshall Mordecai and our entire support staff, who have devoted countless hours behind the scenes to help build this program from the ground up. Their commitment, professionalism, and hard work have been critical to everything we have achieved together.
 
"Most importantly, none of this would have been possible without our incredible student-athletes. They believed in our vision from day one and embraced the challenge of setting a standard of excellence both on the court and in the classroom. I am equally grateful for the unwavering support we have received from our community, which I truly believe is among the very best in the country. While we are proud of what we have accomplished, we are just getting started. There is still much more to achieve, and we are excited about the opportunities and successes that lie ahead for A-State Women's Tennis."
 
The 16 wins this past season marked only the seventh time in program history an A-State team had posted 16-plus wins. The Red Wolves have 29 victories over the last two seasons, most in a two-year span since claimining 30 wins over the 1999 (13-8) and 2000 (17-4) seasons.
 
The Red Wolves have back-to-back seasons with at least 13 wins after last reaching that mark in 2008. A-State earned its first ever win over a ranked opponent in program history with a 4-0 sweep of No. 74 South Alabama back on April 10.
 
Lama's 37 wins over the last three seasons are the most by an A-State tennis coach over their first three seasons, passing Marcia Williams' total of 23 from 1981-83. The 37 wins in a three-year stretch are the most for the program since winning 40 matches from 2000-2002 with records of 17-4, 7-15 and 16-8.
 
The Red Wolves return six of seven players from the 2025-26 roster that boasted the best national ranking in program history at No. 86 in the final ITA rankings. A-State was ranked No. 9 in the final ITA Central Region list last season, the first top-10 regional ranking in program history.
 
According to TennisRecruiting.net, A-State's incoming recruiting class of Sara Kastakova and Lara Margocova ranks highest in the Sun Belt Conference and No. 4 among mid-majors.