Michael Hunt
Michael Hunt is in his first year as the head coach of the Western Illinois men’s and women’s tennis squads. Hunt comes to Western from Sam Houston State where he served as the head women’s tennis coach for two years.
In his first season with the Bearkats, 2001-02, Hunt led the team to 11 victories, which equaled the school record for wins and was seven more than the previous season.
Prior to his stint at Sam Houston State, Hunt was the head men’s and women’s tennis coach at Eastern Illinois from 1999-2001. Hunt guided the men’s squad to a 13-9 record in his final season, a seven-win improvement from the previous year, while he improved the women’s team by 11 victories. He recruited five all-state student-athletes and the 2003-04 Ohio Valley Conference Male Player of the Year, C.J. Weber.
From 1997-99 Hunt served as the assistant men’s coach at Illinois State, where he was responsible for all the recruiting and conditioning and assisted with the coaching. The Illinois State team finished with a 17-10 record both years Hunt was there, finishing fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference. Hunt helped recruit, Jason Smit, the 1999-2000 MVC Newcomer of the Year.
Hunt also served as the head boys’ coach at Champaign Central High School from 1996-97, finishing in the top 30 at the state championships. Before joining Central High School, Hunt was an assistant men’s coach for a regional championship team in the junior college ranks at Parkland College in 1995-96. While coaching at Parkland, Hunt was also the assistant girls’ coach at Danville High School, where that team finished in the top 25 at the state championships.
In addition to being a tennis teaching professional, Hunt has also written numerous articles that have been published in various media publications.
Hunt is a 1990 graduate of Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He earned his master’s degree in physical education from Illinois State in 1999. Hunt is currently pursuing his doctorate in recreation, parks and tourism sciences with a specialty in recreation/sport marketing and finance from Texas A&M.
