Ohio State University Team Page
Aug. 1, 2012
COLUMBUS, Ohio- Ty Tucker, head coach of the Ohio State men's tennis team, has been named director of tennis, Chris Schneider, associate athletics director for sports administration, announced Wednesday. Tucker, the 2009 Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Coach of the Year, will maintain his position as head coach of the men's team, while also providing oversight and assistance to the women's program.
"Coach Tucker's ability to establish and maintain a tennis program at the elite level led us to the decision to elevate his role within Ohio State tennis," Schneider said. "This role will allow us to better utilize Coach Tucker's expertise in recruiting, teaching and coaching the sport of tennis."
Melissa Schaub, who was hired as the Ohio State women's tennis assistant coach in August 2011, will serve as the Buckeye interim head coach. Schaub is filling the position previously held by Chuck Merzbacher who was hired as the head coach of the Minnesota women's tennis team in July. Schaub will report to the director of tennis and is responsible for all aspects of the women's program. A search for an assistant women's tennis coach will begin immediately.
"We wish Coach Merzbacher well as he returns to his alma mater to begin a new chapter in his coaching career," Schneider said. "This transition allowed us the opportunity to evaluate the strengths of both our men's and women's tennis programs and we are confident this is a structure that will benefit both programs. As a member of the women's tennis coaching staff, Coach Schaub has been an asset to our student-athletes and we look forward to her continuing to improve the program."
"I feel honored to be given this opportunity at Ohio State," Schaub, a native of Lexington, Ohio, said. "This is a dream job for me and I am looking forward to an amazing year and building on the great Ohio State tradition. This is such an exciting time for the program. I have known Coach Tucker all my life and I'm looking forward to having him as a mentor."
Before arriving at Ohio State, Schaub established her coaching career at Middle Tennessee State where she spent five seasons on the coaching staff. Schaub was an assistant coach for the Blue Raiders for four seasons before she was named head coach in August 2010. Her experience as a standout tennis student-athlete at the University of Tennessee created a solid foundation for her future career as a collegiate tennis coach.
Melissa Schaub Biography
"I am looking forward to working with Coach Schaub and I know she is eager to get started with the season," Tucker, a Zanesville, Ohio, native said. "This is her dream job and we know she is ready." Guiding the men's program to seven consecutive Big Ten regular-season titles (2006-2012) and six consecutive conference tournament crowns from 2006-2011, Tucker has coached the Buckeyes to 12 consecutive 20-win seasons. For his career, Tucker has amassed a 360-58 (.861) record, including a 121-11 (.917) mark in the Big Ten. In addition to the Buckeyes' astounding record of 148 consecutive wins in Columbus, which is the longest home win streak in Division I sports history, Tucker and Ohio State have been ranked in the Top 20 of the ITA poll for 200 consecutive matches.
Tucker has coached Ohio State deep into the NCAA championships. As a team, the Buckeyes advanced to the final in 2009 before dropping a hard-fought 4-1 decision to USC in College Station, Texas. Ohio State has advanced to the semifinals one other time and the quarterfinals six times as well, while making 13 consecutive trips to the national tournament in all (2000-12).