Women’s tennis at Colorado State University is synonymous with the coaching and leadership provided by veteran mentor Jon Messick. Now in his 15th season as head coach of the Rams, Messick has patiently, diligently, and intently guided Colorado State’s program into the most successful era in school history.

Colorado State’s program won a first-round conference tournament match for the first time ever in 2001, defeating top-seeded and defending champion UNLV. Since 1998, the Rams have held regional rankings five out of the last six years, rising as high as 13th in 1999 and 2001.

Tennis has been an integral part of head coach Jon Messick’s life for nearly 35 years. From his days of being ranked nationally as a junior tennis player, to his triumphant doubles championship wins during his college days, to now his 15th year as head coach of the women’s tennis program at Colorado State, Messick has made tennis a lifetime experience. During his coaching career he has prided himself on transferring his tennis knowledge to his players and this year is no different.

When Messick was named head coach of the women’s tennis team in 1989, he faced several challenges. Messick has taken a struggling program and, over the past 14 years, has led the team to new heights of success, including its first .500 season in 1998-99 followed by another winning season in 1999-2000. During the 1998-99 season, Messick and his troops amassed four school records, and in 1999-2000, Messick’s players continued to improve and break school records.

It is no surprise that Messick has made this tennis program a national force and a team that no Mountain West Conference foes will take lightly. After a successful junior tennis career, in which he earned a No. 1 ranking in doubles play in Maryland and the Middle Atlantic Region, Messick went on to play collegiately at Swarthmore College. While in college, Messick’s team won four straight Middle Atlantic Conference titles and he was the MAC doubles champion his senior year.

Since leaving college, Messick has kept to his winning ways, earning numerous rankings in adult competition. His most prominent rankings came when he was named No. 2 singles and doubles player in the Intermountain Region during the same year.

In addition to his time on the court, both as a coach and player, Messick works in all facets of the tennis world. He is currently on the Board of Directors for the Colorado Tennis Association and is the Chairman of the CTA Rankings Committee. Prior to his coaching days at Colorado State, Messick was the head pro at three tennis clubs.

Messick has earned two degrees; one in Economics from Swarthmore College in 1973 and the other in Accounting from Metropolitan State College in Denver in 1985. Messick has one daughter, Briana, 25, who competed in Cross Country and Track at the University of Wisconsin.