Maryland continued it's streak of success in 2025, finishing 15-12 overall and 7-6 in conference play. The Terps boasted another great record at home going 9-3, picking up key ranked wins against No. 46 Penn State and No. 28 Iowa. The win over Iowa was the Terrapins highest ranked win since 2013. The Dougherty led Terrapins had a strong showing at the Big Ten Tournament, defeating Iowa and
pushing the top seeded Michigan to the last point in the quarterfinals. The Terps are currently ranked at No. 53 in ITA's top 75 team rankings.
The Terrapins continued to succeed under Dougherty's leadership in the 2024 season, finishing with a 16-10 record overall. The Terps had a stellar 12-1 record at home, picking up five wins over top 75 ranked opponents, including the programs first win over a top 30 ranked opponent since 2013. Maryland finished in the top 50 of ITA's rankings for the first time since 2011 and improved to No. 2 in ITA's Atlantic Regional Rankings.
The 2023 season saw a continuation of Maryland's upward trajectory, as the Terps finished with a 17-9 record. Additionally, Dougherty's squad jumped a spot in the ITA Atlantic Region team rankings to become the area's No. 3 unit.
With 35 wins combined between the 2022 and 2023, Doughterty's teams have set the program record for the most wins in a two-year stretch.
In 2022, she led the Terps to their best season start in more than 30 years, as Maryland finished with an 18-7 record. Led by unanimous All-Big Ten honoree Selma Cadar, the Terps finished No. 4 in the ITA Atlantic Region team rankings.
Dougherty previously served as associate head coach of the program for three seasons before the promotion.
Since her arrival in College Park, Dougherty has played a big part in recruiting and player development for the Terps. Maryland has featured three All-Big Ten performers since Dougherty's arrival and the 2017 recruiting class received votes in the top-25. Maryland saw its first Big Ten Freshman of the Year in Ayana Akli after her arrival in 2019. Akli also tied a program best with her appearance in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Singles Tournament.
The Terps found immediate success in Dougherty's first year with the program. The team had its most successful spring season in program history, going 16-6 (7-4 B1G) and earning the No. 5 seed in the Big Ten Tournament for the second consecutive season. Dougherty has also had a major impact on Maryland's 2017 recruiting class, which included five-star recruit Zoe Kulkarni. The class also featured Eva Alexandrova -- who ranked as high as No. 118 in the ITF rankings – and Kansas State transfer Millie Stretton, who was a member of the 2016 All-Big 12 Freshman Team.
Dougherty came to College Park after spending seven years as the head coach at Iowa. During her time in Iowa City, the Hawkeyes earned five first-team All-Big Ten honors, advanced two doubles teams to the NCAA Championships and earned 22 Academic All-Big Ten honors. She led the 2010 team to the NCAA Championships as the program was ranked Top-20 for the first time in its history. Her team's were in the Top-75 ITA Rankings during six of her seven years leading the Hawkeyes.
She had four former players turn pro after graduation also recruited the 2017 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Elise Van Huevelen.
A Big Ten lifer, Dougherty spent 12 years in the conference before joining Maryland. Before her time at Iowa, she served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Wisconsin. Her 2008 and 2009 recruiting classes received national recognition from Tennisrecruiting.net. In Madison, she served as the co-Director of the Badger Tennis Summer Camps and Adidas Summer Camps.
Dougherty also served as an assistant coach at Penn State (2004-07) and American University (2003-04) before her time at Wisconsin. At both stops she was a key part of the recruiting process as well as managing day-to-day operations.
She competed collegiately at the University of Wisconsin where she was a four-year letterwinner. She graduated in 2002 with a degree in English. She also earned her Master of Education in Positive Coaching from the University of Missouri in 2017. Dougherty is an ICI Professional Coach Level 2 and NCAA Women's Coaches Academy Graduate.
Dougherty is married to former professional tennis player Sarah Borwell. The couple have two sons, Thomas, born June 2016, and William, born March 2020.
Updated May 15, 2025.
