Djerdj Matkovic will take over as the Blazers' head women's and men's tennis coach in 2011-12 after serving as an assistant on the Hood staff in 2010-11.

Originally from Belgrade, Serbia, Matkovic received a bachelor of arts in communications and journalism from McDaniel College in 2007 and is currently pursuing a master of arts degree in human sciences at Hood.

As a youth competitor, Matkovic was coached by Donald Black, whose children, Byron, Wayne and Cara, are all professionals and played on the international circuit. The Blacks are known as some of the best men's and mixed doubles players in the country. Matkovic himself was ranked as high as No. 4 in Zimbabwe for U12, U14 and U16. He also served as an assistant coach at various camps sponsored by the Tennis Association of Zimbabwe.

Matkovic earned one varsity letter for the Green Terror and continues to play competitive USTA tennis with a ranking of 4.5 by the National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) in several leagues around the area.

While at McDaniel, Matkovic served as a peer mentor for international students to familiarize them with American college life. He was also a member of McDaniel's Model European Union Team, the Model United Nations Team and participated in Maryland Student Legislature sessions. Matkovic wrote for the McDaniel College Budapest newspaper, "The Messenger" as well as the school newspaper, "The McDaniel Freepress." Prior to his senior year, Matkovic interned as an editor and translator for the V.I.P. Diplomat News Belgrade and as a journalism assistant for the Associated Press Belgrade.

Following graduation, he secured an internship at the American Red Cross national headquarters as a public affairs assistant. Over the past three years, Matkovic has worked as a temp at Lewis & Tompkins personal injury law firm, as an intern with the National Endowment for Democracy in the center for international media assistance and as an intern with Illinois Congresswoman Melissa Bean and at the United Nations Information Center in Washington, D.C.