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The Buckeye Tree of College Tennis Coaches
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The Ohio State University tennis program has produced some of the most successful collegiate players in the nation.

Ohio State Director of Tennis Ty Tucker
courtesy, Ohio State Athletics
Since 1999, the men's team has made 29 appearances in the NCAA Singles Championship and 14 in Doubles. An individual highlight was the 2013 NCAA Singles Championship, won by Blaz Rola. The previous year, Rola and Chase Buchanan captured the NCAA Doubles crown. The Buckeyes have made 16 consecutive trips to the NCAA Team Tournament since 1999. Additionally, Ohio State ran off 200 consecutive victories in Columbus - the longest home streak in NCAA Division I history.

In addition to champion players, the program has also produced some outstanding coaches. This can be traced back to one man, Ty Tucker, who has been the Buckeyes' Head Men's Tennis Coach since 1999. He was promoted to Director of Tennis in 2012.

You might say, that Tucker has planted "The Buckeye Tree" of coaches.

"The numerous coaches have many of the same qualities," Tucker said. "But I would list highly competitive and extremely hard-working as the two that stick out. There is not a coach that will be outworked because of their competitive desire."

Tucker has some impressive credentials. He was recognized as the 2009 Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Coach of the Year after leading the Buckeyes to the NCAA final. Tucker has been named the Big Ten Coach of the Year on ten occasions. Thirteen of his players have earned All-America honors 32 times.

Every current coach who either played for Tucker or worked as an assistant cites the work ethic and dedication of their mentor for their success.

So, let's take a look at those coaches who make up "The Buckeye Tree."

  • Justin Kronauge, associate head coach at Ohio State
  • Melissa Schaub, hired by Tucker as the Ohio State women's coach.
  • Bryan Koniecko, played and coached at OSU.. now the head men's coach at Brown University.
  • Ross Wilson, head coach at Iowa, former assistant coach at NCAA Division III finalist Kenyon College, assistant coach at San Diego, former OSU player.
  • Ty Schaub, assistant at Iowa, former assistant at Cornell and Penn.
  • Chris Klingeman, associate head coach at Northwestern.
  • Jeremy Wurtzman, head coach at Indiana, former women's head coach at Denver, assistant at Michigan and OSU.
  • Drew Eberly, assistant coach at Denver.
  • Chris Garner, coach at Navy, assistant under Tucker, and went on to win two Division III national titles at Amherst.
  • Marc Wurtzman, head coach at Capital (Ohio).
  • David Schilling, a volunteer assistant coach at OSU for 16 years
  • Todd Wojtkowski, head coach at Case Western Reserve University, and former Buckeye standout.

Wojtkowski coached the 2014 Division III national champion doubles team and led Case Western to the Elite 8. He credits Tucker for much of his team's success.

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Page updated on Monday, March 11, 2024
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