Coaches

Tara Tembey

COACHING EXPERIENCE

• Assistant Coach, Cornell University (2019-current)

• Head Coach, Great Britain U18 National Team (2021-present)

• Assistant Coach, Great Britain U18 National Team (2020-21)

• Assistant Coach, University of the Pacific (2016-19)

• Assistant Coach, Colgate University (2013-16)

• Assistant Coach, San Francisco State University (2010-13)

• Head Coach, Folsom High School (Calif.) (2009-10)

• Student Assistant Coach, UT-Chattanooga (2008-09)


PLAYING EXPERIENCE

• Four-year starter at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

• Fourth all-time in school history with 258 hits

• Currently holds the record for most triples in a game (2), which she accomplished five times

• Second all-time in single-season runs (55) and third in single-season hits (75)


EDUCATION

B.S., Health and Human Performance-Movement Science, UT-Chattanooga (2008)


AT CORNELL

Tembey has had a key role in developing some of the Ivy League’s top hitters since joining the Cornell staff ahead of the 2019-20 season.


In 2022-23, the Big Red led the Ivy League in home runs (34) and finished third in slugging percentage (.388) and fourth in RBI (142). Freshman Lauren Holt led the Ivy with nine homers, junior Emma Antich had seven and freshman Sydney Stapf hit five. All three players drove in more than 25 runs.


Holt continued to put up big numbers as a sophomore in 2024, driving in a league-high 41 runs and hitting nine more home runs. She became the first Cornell player since 2010 to drive in at least 40 runs in a season. Sophomore Ella Harrod upped her batting average by 110 points from her freshman season (she hit .319) and struck out just twice. Only five other Division I players struck out two times or fewer during the regular season.


Additionally, freshman Hailey Pirkey became a key part of the Big Red’s offense midway through the 2024 season. Against Ivy competition, she hit .339 with four home runs (tied for fourth in the league) and five doubles (tied for fifth) while driving in 14 runs (ninth). She had a 1.134 OPS (ninth) and took 11 walks (tied for eighth) in conference play.