Player Bio: Chuck Willenborg - JOHNS HOPKINS OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

Chuck Willenborg

Position:
Head Coach

Experience:
6th Season

Chuck Willenborg, a former junior and NCAA champion, has quickly turned the Johns Hopkins tennis program into one of the best in the nation. In just five seasons, he has guided the men's team to a 74-24 (.755) record, four Centennial Conference titles and four NCAA Tournament appearances. In 2009, with his fifth win of the season, Willenborg became the winningest coach in program history.

Willenborg has had equal success on the women's side and is already the winningest coach in program history. He has guided the Blue Jays to a 74-20 (.787) record in his five seasons, with three Centennial Conference titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances.

The JHU men once again went unbeaten in Centennial Conference action in 2009 en route to its third straight and fourth overall conference championship. The Blue Jays went 16-4 on the season and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. In addition, junior David Maldow and sophomore Andrew Wang qualified for the NCAA Individual Championship in both singles and doubles. Maldow advanced to round of 16, while Wang advanced to the quarterfinals. The pair also advanced to the second round in doubles. Hopkins was ranked 11th in the nation in the ITA's final poll of the season, matching the highest ranking in program history.

Willenborg guided the Blue Jay men to their second straight Centennial Conference title and third in four seasons in 2008 going undefeated in the league. Hopkins then made its third consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament, advanced to the second round and finished with a 15-6 overall record. The Blue Jays finished the season ranked 19th in the nation and fourth in the Atlantic South, while sophomore All-American David Maldow finished the season as the ninth-ranked singles player in the nation. Senior Joe Vasoontara and freshman Casey Blythe, the first doubles pair in program history to advance to the NCAA Doubles Championship, were ranked 16th in the nation.

The 2007 season was the most successful in school history, as the men won their second Centennial Conference title with an undefeated record of 8-0. The Blue Jays won a school-record 15 consecutive matches, advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAAs and finished with a 19-3 record. Hopkins finished the season ranked 11th nationally and second in the region.

In his first season, Willenborg guided the men's team to its first-ever Centennial Conference title and a 13-2 record in 2005 before upgrading the schedule in 2006 to better position the Blue Jays for a chance at a selection to the NCAA Tournament. He guided Vasoontara to the 2005 Centennial Conference singles title.

The men's team spent the entire 2006 season ranked among the top 10 teams in the region and entered the Centennial Conference Championships as the number three seed and ranked eighth in the region. A 4-3 upset of second-seeded (and number seven regionally-ranked) Haverford landed the Blue Jays in the Centennial title match and likely secured their at-large berth to the NCAAs. Hopkins, in its first-ever trip to the NCAA Championships, fell in the first round to seventh-ranked Mary Washington.

The women's team had equal success in 2009, going 14-4 overall and 10-0 in the Centennial Conference. JHU also advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16 after winning its third consecutive Centennial Conference championship. The Blue Jays enter the 2010 season with a 29-match unbeaten streak in conference matches.

In 2008, Willenborg led the women to a second straight 17-win season, including an unblemished 10-0 record in the Centennial Conference. The Blue Jays took home their second straight conference title and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Hopkins was ranked 21st in the nation and sixth in the Atlantic South in the final ITA poll. Sophomore Anita Bhamidipati, who went 18-6 on the season, was ranked 39th in the nation and 11th in the region.

The 2007 season was a record-breaking season for the women. The Hopkins women won their first Centennial Conference title after going 10-0 in conference play. The Blue Jays then made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Championships, losing in the second round and finishing with a 17-4 record. The 17 wins were a school record and included a school-record nine-match win streak. Both those feats were matched by the 2008 squad.

In 2006, the Blue Jay women went 13-5 overall and earned a spot in the Centennial Conference Semifinals. Hopkins lost to Swarthmore, ranked #17 nationally. In his first season at the helm in 2005, Willenborg guided the Hopkins women to a 13-3 overall mark and an 8-2 mark in conference play. The eight Centennial Conference wins were a then school record.

Willenborg brings outstanding amateur, collegiate and professional experience to the head coach position. His amateur career was highlighted by a USTA National Clay Court Championship and a top-5 National Junior ranking. He was selected to the prestigious Junior Davis squad and competed at the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.

In 1982 Willenborg accepted a full scholarship to UCLA, where he helped the tennis team win an ITA National Indoor Championship and an NCAA Championship in 1984. Willenborg completed his college career at the University of Miami as a Top-25 singles player.

In 1989 he joined the staff at Miami, where he served as an assistant men's tennis coach for six seasons. During that time, Miami was consistently a top-10 team, and Willenborg coached two top-ranked singles players. In 1996, Willenborg took the position as assistant tennis coach at Pepperdine University, where he won two consecutive West Coast Conference Championships and was promoted to interim head coach for the 1997 season. The team completed the season with a 22-7 record and a top-10 national ranking. The season was highlighted with a win over top-ranked UCLA in the final match of the year.

Willenborg also served as the assistant men's and women's coach at perennial Division II power Barry University. The men's team was an NCAA finalist both seasons of Willenborg's stay, while the women earned their first ever Sunshine State Conference Championship and a third-place finish - their highest ever - at the NCAA Championships.

Willenborg earned his undergraduate degree in physical education from the University of Miami, a master's in sports management from the U.S. Sports Academy, and a master's from Barry University in computer science. He resides in Fork, Maryland, with his wife Amity and children Russell (7), Madeline (5) and Asher (4).