Bio

RIHCMOND, Ind. – The IU East athletic department is pleased to announce the hiring of Zach Edwards as the new men’s and women’s tennis coach starting September 2024.

“I am incredibly excited for the opportunity to be the new head coach of the IU East Tennis teams,” coach Edwards said. “Some of these players have endured a lot over the past few years with coaching turnover and I am hoping to provide some long-term stability for the tennis program. Tennis has been a part of my life since I was a child and now having the opportunity to coach at the collegiate level is really a full-circle moment for me. I’ve had many people invest in me as a player and as a coach. This gives me an opportunity to invest in others and return the favors that were done for me.”

Edwards played tennis at Anderson University, where he was the No. 1 singles player. He comes to IU East after spend 18 months as a private instructor providing tennis lessons from ages 4+ to collegiate athletes.

“We are more than thrilled to have Zach come on board,” associate athletic director Nick Fortini said. “His leadership skills and vision for the programs made him the perfect choice.”

Edwards is stepping into this role as classes have already started, but he has a plan going forward.

“My short term goal for this season to schedule enough matches to provide the athletes ample opportunities to showcase their talents, not only to me, but to themselves as well,” Edwards said. “My primary goal for this season though is to establish the culture on this team that I believe will lead to future success. I am looking to instill a desire for hard work, a true passion for the game, and a love for each other as a team. 

“The current players on this team have been tremendous up to this point so far. Even early in the mornings, they have consistently worked hard at every practice and have continued to be engaged by asking questions. It makes it easy to invest in them as players and as people when I can clearly see their commitment, dedication, and willingness to put in the effort.”

The Red Wolves start ITAs Wednesday in Marian at Indiana Wesleyan University.