Brian Etzkin Position: Head Coach Experience: Fifth Year

Entering his sixth season as the head coach of Cleveland State's men's and women's tennis, Brian Etzkin has finished the rebuilding process of the Viking programs and has taken them to unparalleled heights. By bringing his extensive tennis knowledge and intense passion for the sport to Cleveland State, Etzkin has raised the level of play and set the bar high with his expectations of his student-athletes.

In just five seasons, he has established the Vikings as annual contenders to win the Horizon League Championship and a team to be reckoned with against regional and national opponents.

Last season, Etzkin guided the women's team to a 15-12 record, second only to the 2006-07 team in total victories. The Vikings placed third at the Horizon League Championship, their best finish to date. The team continued to post 10 or more wins, doing so for the fourth consecutive year.

The men's team came into the Horizon League Championship as the No. 2 seed, their highest seeding ever. The men's squad closed the season with an 18-8 record and a third place finish at the Horizon League Championship.

In addition, Etzkin was named Horizon League Coach of the Year for his work with the men's program. This season also gave Etzkin a total of 63 wins, surpassing Foster Miller as the men's winningest coach in Cleveland State history.

When Etzkin took over as head coach of the Viking tennis teams in 2002, he inherited two squads that were in desperate need of his coaching skills. Etzkin took over a men's program that was just two years removed from a seven-year hiatus and had managed just three wins since returning.

On the women's side, CSU had posted 16 straight losing seasons, including eleven seasons with no more than four victories.

In his first season, Etzkin led the men's team to nine wins, a vast improvement over the two wins the prior season. On the women's side, he added four recruits that would help contribute to the dramatic improvement of the program, including 2005 Horizon League Player of the Year and four-time first team All-Horizon League selection Sarah Galon.

The quality of Etzkin's initial recruiting class was apparent in his second season. The women's squad compiled a 10-17 record, which was the highest win total since 1984. Etzkin was honored with the 2004 Horizon League Coach of the Year for his efforts with the women's team. The men's squad went 13-11 that season and finished third at the Horizon League Championship.

Etkin's players have reaped the benefits of his tutelage. In five seasons under Etzkin, nine Vikings have received all-league honors a total of 16 times. Sarah Galon has become Cleveland State's most decorated women's tennis player, as a four-time first team all-league selection, 2004 Horizon League Newcomer of the Year and the league's player of the year in 2005.

Phil Orno received first team all-league honors in 2007, while Jay Tee was selected as the Horizon League Newcomer of the Year in 2003 and received second-team all-league honors four times.

Eric Winn picked up all-league honors three times, including a first-team choice in 2004.

The importance of academics and sportsmanship is apparent under Etzkin's tutelage. The women's team has received ITA All-Academic team status in 2005, 2006, and 2007 while the men's team captured ITA All-Academic team status in 2007.

Two players have been tabbed for the Horizon League's Herb Foster Sportsmanship award for their conduct both on and off the court. Galon received the NCAA Sportsmanship Award, selecting her to represent female student-athletes from the 330 Division I schools for the 2006-2007 athletic year.

Not only does Etzkin stress academics and sportsmanship, he always encourages his players to become involved in both the community and school. The teams have adopted a second grade class at Marion-Sterling Elementary in downtown Cleveland. There at least three members of the teams visit the children twice a week to assist students with their reading, comprehension and vocabulary skills. The teams have been working there for the last five years and will continue this on-going service project.

In addition, many members of the tennis team have become leaders of Cleveland State's Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC). This academic year Steven Wipprecht serves as President and Brad Groleski serves as Vice-President of SAAC. In 2006, Sarah Galon and Morgan Ungerott served as Vice-President and Secretary of SAAC.

Etzkin, who was born in Cleveland and raised in Wooster, Ohio, returned to Northeastern Ohio after a two-year stint as an assistant men's tennis coach at Michigan State University. While at Michigan State, he assisted in every aspect of the program, including serving as recruiting coordinator.

He also served as the assistant tennis professional at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility along with being the head tennis pro at Walnut Hills Country Club. Prior to his tenure with the Spartans, Etzkin spent two seasons as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's programs at Western Illinois (1998-00). In addition to his collegiate coaching post, Etzkin coached the 2002 Midwest Junior Davis Cup team to the national championship in Columbia, S.C. He is also a United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) Certified Teaching Pro.

Etzkin played four years of tennis at Southern-Illinois University-Carbondale, earning a bachelor's degree in psychology. As a senior in 1998, he received GTE Academic All-American honors and was a two-time Missouri Valley Conference All-Academic selection. Etzkin earned a master's degree in sport management from Western Illinois in 2002.