NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – Smith College tennis assistant coaches Paige Grice and Sofie Shen have been selected to take part in USTA Coaching Serving All: Aspiring Coaches powered by WeCOACH, an eight-month leadership and tennis coaching development experience for college-age student-athletes.
Run by USTA Coaching in partnership with WeCOACH, the program is built to help emerging women leaders develop the confidence, technical skills and professional connections needed to enter the tennis coaching profession. Members of the 2026 cohort gain one-on-one mentorship from experienced women coaches and industry executives, foundational coaching education, entry into a national network of peers and established professionals, and guidance on certification pathways and career opportunities.
"Our program is very excited for both Paige and Sofie to be selected as part of this program," head coach Caitlyn Lawrence said. "They are both up-and-coming coaches who have already had a significant impact on Smith Tennis and are sure to carry that forward into their coaching careers. Thank you to both the USTA and to WeCOACH for making this program possible. Both organizations are known for incredible professional development opportunities, and I know Paige and Sofie will both take advantage of this great opportunity."
Grice joined the Bears for the 2025-26 season after a standout playing career at Division I Western Illinois University, where she majored in Foreign Languages and Cultures and minored in Computer Science. She was named the Western Illinois Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2025, a season in which the Leathernecks earned the program's Team of the Year and Team Performance of the Year honors following a run to the Ohio Valley Conference semifinals. Grice was one of just three qualifiers in all of collegiate tennis for the ITA Summer Circuit Points Race in 2024, finished as the OVC Fall Championship singles runner-up that same year, and earned OVC Second Team All-Conference recognition in 2025. She was also selected for the ITA Rising Coaches Program in the summer of 2024.
Shen also began her first season at Smith in 2025-26, arriving from Division III Vassar College, where she was a psychology major and studio art minor. The Brewers finished nationally ranked in each of her four seasons and climbed as high as No. 22 in the country during her senior year. Shen reached No. 16 nationally in doubles in 2023 alongside partner Erin McCusker, was named the Liberty League Rookie of the Year in 2021, and earned first team all-conference honors three times in doubles and once in singles over the course of her career.
The selection comes on the heels of a strong first season on the Smith bench for both coaches. Working alongside head coach Caitlyn Lawrence, Grice and Shen helped guide the Bears to a 9-9 overall record and a 5-3 mark in NEWMAC play during the 2025-26 season. Smith delivered several marquee results along the way, stunning then-No. 29 Skidmore, 5-2, in February and upsetting then-No. 31 Caltech, 4-3, to cap a West Coast road trip in March. The Bears were dominant in conference play, posting 7-0 sweeps of Clark, Salve Regina, Wheaton and Emerson, and opened the NEWMAC Tournament with a 4-0 win over Springfield before falling to MIT in the semifinals to close the season.
The 2026 cohort will follow a hybrid model that combines virtual and in-person training. Participants take part in five online sessions held between June 2026 and January 2027, along with a marquee in-person leadership event Dec. 12-14, 2026, at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla. Every cohort member receives a USTA Coaching package, a WeCOACH membership, USTA Coaching gear and a welcome package, plus access to the program's mentorship, education and national coaching network.
Grice and Shen are among the next generation of women dedicated to the future of the game, and their selection reflects Smith Athletics' continued commitment to developing leaders both on and off the court.
