Justin Fainter was announced as the head coach of the Pfeiffer men's and women's coach on Nov. 12, 2020, returning after a five-year break.
Fainter led the Falcon men to their second-consecutive trip to the USA South finals in 2024, finishing the season with a 13-5 mark in dual match play.  On the women’s side, he guided the Falcons to a 15-4 overall mark and a 5-3 finish in USA South play.
Under his watch, Caimbree Gann earned USA South Women’s Rookie of the Year honors. Gann and teammate Megan Rekieta won USA South All-Conference First Team honors while teammate Haley Ingenito earned USA South All-Conference Honorable Mention honors.
For the men, Jayden Wellman took home the USA South Men’s Rookie of the Year award while Benedikt Pfeiffer joined Wellman on the USA South First Team. Fainter also helped Andres Valdez-Arze to a USA South All-Conference Second Team honor.
In the Spring of 2023, the Falcons enjoyed their best run in the USA South as the men finished USA South Conference Runners-up finishing with a 13-8 record and the women enjoyed a 10-0 start during the season and finished with an overall record of 14-6.
Dylan Masters was named first-team all-conference while Megan Rekieta, Alison Sloop, Benedikt Pfeiffer, and Bogdan Stan were named second-team all-conference.
Fainter served as the head of the Falcon tennis programs from July 2013 to June 2015, guiding the Falcons women’s team to the 2015 Conference Carolinas Championship, the third tournament championship for Pfeiffer since 1996. Fainter was promoted to Assistant Athletic Director for Transportation following his initial season with the Falcons.
Over his tenure, the Pfeiffer women returned a combined 38-6 dual match record and was 17-2 overall in Conference Carolinas play, going 8-1 in 2014 and 9-1 in 2015.
He helped freshman Olivia Nelms to both Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year accolades in 2014. Nelms finished that season with a 14-3 individual record and an 8-1 league mark while posting a 20-1 doubles record and a perfect 9-0 tally in league matches. Nelms and teammate Taylor Lindsay took home all-conference honors that year.
In 2015, Nelms, Lindsay, Valeria Mendoza, Hannah Watson and Mylene Petitpas all earned all-conference honors. In addition, Nelms won the Conference Carolinas Tournament MVP and along with Lindsay and Petitpas, was named to the All-Tournament Team.
On the men’s side, his 2014 team finished 13-5 overall and posted a 5-3 conference record. Loic Minery finished with a 15-2 overall individual record and a 7-1 mark in league play, earning all-conference honors. Minery and teammate Sebastian Wernecke posted a 14-3 doubles mark and was 6-2 in conference play.
Minery was tabbed the Conference Carolinas Player of the Year in 2014 while teammate Axel Woerner and Wernecke earned Third Team all-conference awards.
In 2015, Pfeiffer’s men’s team finished with a 15-8 overall record and 7-3 in CC play. Oscar Von Koch earned First-Team All-Conference honors while Woerner was named to the Second Team.
All told, the Pfeiffer men’s program was a combined 28-13 overall and 12-6 in conference play under Fainter.
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Prior to his first stint in Misenheimer, he served as the head women’s coach at Roanoke College from 2011 to 2013.
While with the Maroons, Fainter oversaw all aspects of the women’s tennis program including practice planning, scheduling, recruiting and retention at Roanoke. He guided 13 players to All-ODAC honors during his tenure and his 2013 squad set a school record for most wins in a season with 14.
Fainter guided the Maroons to a regional ranking and a runner-up finish in the ODAC Tournament, also firsts in school history. His efforts earned him the 2013 ODAC women’s tennis Coach of the Year award.
Fainter also served as the Head Tennis Coach at Harrisonburg City Schools from 2008-11 and won three district championships, one regional runner-up and two regional championships. Fainter was named the VHSL Region III Coach of the Year in 2009.
Fainter graduated from James Madison University in 2010 and holds a degree in history with minors in secondary education and interdisciplinary studies. He also earned a master’s degree in the art of teaching from James Madison in 2011.
Fainter and his wife Kelly currently reside in Concord, N.C. and have two daughters, Eleanor and Harriet.
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