Samantha Butcher was hired as the head women’s tennis coach with the Hawks on April 1, 2019. She secured her first head coaching victory on September 4, 2019 with an 8-1 triumph over SUNY Delhi.
Butcher's 2024-25 squad returned to the Empire 8 Women's Tennis Championship Tournament Final for the second time in three years after a dominant 12-1 fall season. Hartwick finished with an undefeated conference record for the third straight year, going 8-0, extending Butcher's regular season reign to 25 games. On October 12, 2024, Butcher garnered her 50th career coaching victory with a 9-0 triumph over St. John Fisher University in their regular season finale. The Hawks carried their momentum into the playoffs after being named regular season champions for the third consecutive year, earning the No.1 seed. Butcher led the Hawks to a 5-1 semifinal win versus Russell Sage on October 18, 2024, and captured her second Empire 8 Women's Tennis Championship in three years with a 5-0 triumph over SUNY Geneseo on October 19, 2024. Hartwick's stellar season landed six Hawks on the Empire 8 All-Conference Selections List, First Year standout Alexandra Krasinska was named Empire 8 Player of the Year as well as being a part of the inaugural Empire 8 Doubles Team of the Year along with former E8 Player of the Year Phoebe Olson after an undefeated fall season. For her outstanding efforts, Butcher netted her second Empire 8 Coach of the Year honor.
In 2023, Butcher led the Hawks to a second straight regular season title, finishing 6-0 in conference play with an overall mark of 9-6. Seven Hawks earned All-Conference recognition under the guidance of Butcher, including four First Team selections and reigning E8 Rookie of the Year Phoebe Olson received Player of the Year. Butcher extended her regular season conference winning streak to 19 games spanning over the last three years.
Building off last year's success, Butcher had her squad primed for success as they would soar through the fall season with a remarkable 11-0 record with seven of those 7 games being conference opponents. The beyond stellar first half would net them the top seed in the Empire 8 Tournament, leading the team to back to back Empire 8 championship games. The Hawks would not be denied this time as they would rally to a 5-1 victory over Nazareth en route to Hartwick's first ever Empire 8 Women's Tennis Championship and first ever NCAA Championship Tournament appearance. Butcher would be awarded with Coach of the Year honors as 8 members of the Hartwick squad recieved all conference honors. Standout freshman Phoebe Olson would be awarded with the E8 Tournament MVP as well as the E8 Rookie of the Year honors. Jade Killikelly received yet another first team singles and doubles honors, Olson also a member of the first team for singles recieved second team honors with her partner Lily Vanuga who earned second team honors for singles as well. Ryann Ashby and Colleen Marsh were awarded with third team singles honors, the duo of Maddi Morrison and Maggie Van Valkenburgh recieved second team doubles honors. Damita Bollers earned second team singles and first team doubles honors as the Hartwick squad finished with a program record 16 wins to a mere three losses.
Under Butcher’s guidance, the 2021 team had their best season to date, picking up a program high 12 wins. The Hawks went 5-1 in E8 play, earning the #2 seed in the conference tournament. On October 15, 2021, the Hawks picked up their first conference tournament match win since 2000 with a 5-1 victory over St. John Fisher in the semifinal to advance to the final match. The October 16, 2021 match against Nazareth College marked the first ever conference final appearance for the program. All-in-all, five players received all-conference honors. Killkelly led the way once again, earning first team singles honors and first team doubles honors. Ryann Ashby made second team singles, while Colleen Marsh won third team singles. Wilson once again teamed up with Killkelly for first team doubles honors. Ashby and partner Val Kohberger won second team doubles. In addition, Cierra Barkley was the first ever Hartwick player to receive the E8 torchbearer award.
In 2020-2021, the team was only able to compete in the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the shortened spring season, the team finished 1-6 overall. However, Butcher saw her first two athletes earn Empire 8 (E8) accolades with Jade Killikelly earning 2nd team singles and 3rd team doubles. Victoria Wilson was named 3rd team doubles with partner, Killikelly.
Prior to Hartwick, Butcher served as an assistant coach for both the women's and men's programs at her alma mater, SUNY Oneonta, for two seasons. She aided head coach Lonnie Mitchel in recruiting, on-court coaching in practices and matches, fundraising, community service, budget management, and monitoring of student-athlete academic success. Butcher would help the women’s program to a record of 25-16 over her two seasons and a 17-24 mark with the men’s program.
Butcher has continued to grow as a coach, completing the Total Tennis University course at Ven Der Meer Tennis Center in Hilton Head, South Carolina. In addition, she is working towards her iTPA certification.
As a student-athlete, Butcher played two seasons for the Red Dragons and was an assistant captain. She racked up a total of 12 wins competing at number four and five singles. In addition, she also won 12 doubles matches.
Butcher completed her undergraduate degree in Mass Communication with a concentration in Production and a minor in Journalism from SUNY Oneonta in May 2016. In 2019, she completed her master’s degree in Sport Management from SUNY Cortland.
