Michael Gennette
Mike Gennette recently completed his 19th season as Head Coach of the CLU men's tennis program.
In 2011 he was named the United States Professional Tennis Association's (USPTA) co-National College Coach of the Year Award (along with Peter Smith of USC). In 2010 Gennette was named the ITA West Region College Coach of the Year and the USPTA California Division College Coach of the Year. Gennette also serves as the Regional Vice President for the USPTA and is a former USPTA District 1 President.
A USPTA board member for the last seven years, Gennette also organizes and presents one of the most well attended seminars at the annual USPTA California convention with over 75 coaches in attendance.
The 2012 campaign was another successful year for the Kingsmen. Along with a week long spring break competitive trip to Hawaii, the team reached a season high ranking of #5 nationally. Nicholas Ballou was the NCAA National Singles Finalist, Ojai West Region Singles Champion & Doubles Finalist with Ray Worley, SCIAC Athlete of the Year, and awarded All-American status for both singles and doubles with teammate and fellow All-American Ray Worley. Ballou and Worley also won the Fall ITA tournament and finished #2 in the nation. Two other Kingsmen were named All-Conference selections for the SCIAC: Justin Wilson-1st team, and Connor Treacy who was named 2nd team as a freshman.
The Kingsmen reached the NCAA Tournament again in 2012 and have been nationally ranked in the top 5 twice over the past three years.
Gennette played four seasons (1987-89, 1991) for the Kingsmen before becoming an assistant coach in 1992. He was a four-year starter for the Kingsmen and was an NAIA All-District 3 selection in singles and doubles his last three seasons. As a sophomore, he won the Golden State Athletic Conference doubles title with Chris Groff. As a former #1 player for CLU, he was ranked in the top-20 in NAIA singles and doubles. He was also ranked in the top-10 of the men’s open for Southern California and played on the USTA Pro Satellite Tour.
During his tenure at CLU, Gennette has coached eleven Kingsmen players to NCAA All-American honors, led by the 1996 NCAA singles champion Mark Ellis and the 1997 NCAA doubles champions Ellis and Jenia “Eugene” Karimov. He has also coached seven SCIAC Athletes of the Year.
Gennette is a certified USPTA pro 1 and certified by the USTA in Sport Science. He is one of the few coaches in the nation who is certified by the USTA as a High Performance Coach and has a USPTA Player Development Specialist degree. He has completed hundreds of continuing education credits through the USPTA.
In 2007 he was named the USPTA’s California Tennis Director & Manager of the Year. Also, in 2007 he was named by the USTA to coach the Southern California junior zonals team in Salt Lake City, Utah.
In 2005, Gennette was named the USTA/ITA National Community Service Award winner for helping to promote tennis in his community. More than 2,000 college coaches were eligible for the award.
Gennette runs summer tennis camps at Cal Lutheran. He also owns Total Tennis Academy, which manages the tennis programs in the five surrounding cities and park districts.
A lifelong resident of the Conejo Valley, Gennette, his wife Dyan, and daughters Allison 12, and Cate 8, make their home in Newbury Park.
