Efe Ustundag enters his eighth season assisting Ron Smarr in 2012 and will then succeed Smarr at the conclusion of the season. Ustundag returned to his alma mater on Sept. 3, 2004 when was named assistant coach for the men's tennis program and was named Smarr's successor on November 10, 2011.
Rice has made the NCAA Team Tournament and finished inside the Top 50 of the ITA rankings in each of Ustundag's first seven seasons and have also qualified a player in singles in six of his seven years. The Owls also have racked up 26 All-Conference honors during Ustundag's tenure.
Prior to his return to his alma mater, spent the two seasons at Texas Tech as an assistant coach. The Red Raiders advanced to Big 12 Semifinals in 2003.
Ustundag spent two years as a professional player and assistant coach for Enka Tennis Club in his native Turkey. He assisted Ali Gorec, the former Turkish Davis Cup coach, in various administrative and coaching duties.
Ustundag won the national championship in both singles and doubles during 2000, while capturing the national indoor championship in both events in 2001. He also was a member of the Turkish Davis Cup team from 1997 to 2001.
A Ustundag doubles All-America selection at Rice, Ustundag also anchored the Owls singles lineup during his final three seasons and maintained a national NCAA ranking as high as 16th. He was the MVP at the 1996 Team Championships in San Diego.
Ustundag followed that up with Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Scholar Athlete of the Year and Tennis Magazine's Arthur Ashe Jr. Award for sportsmanship and leadership in 1998. He was an All-WAC Singles First-Team selection and All-WAC Doubles Second-Team honoree en route to NCAA Region VI Senior Player of the Year.
Before attending Rice, Ustundag attended the famous Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida from 1990-93. He was awarded the NBTA Grand Slam award for academics, citizenship and athletics in 1992.
Ustundag graduated from Rice in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in managerial studies and sports management. He and wife Suur Biliciler-Ustundag make their home in Houston.