Women's Tennis
- Title:
- Head Coach
University of Richmond head women's tennis coach Mark Wesselink enters his 32nd year at the helm of the program (2021-22) after leading the Spiders to two-straight A-10 Championship final appearances with a 9-5 overall record in the 2020-21 season. Wesselink lost both A-10 Championship final matches to VCU but was dominate in two 4-0 sweeps against Davidson (No. 6 seed) and No. 2 Rhode Island in the 2021 A-10 Championship. Wesselink coached graduate student Dessi Zlateva to an outstanding season going 12-1, including 11-1 at No. 2 singles having never lost a set in the entire spring season. Also the Spiders earned three A-10 Rookie of the Week awards (Sara Salrmyr twice, Polina Shitikova) and Zlateva was a two-time A-10 Player of the Week in 2021.
With 21 winning seasons and nine NCAA Tournament appearances, Wesselink has built a nationally-competitive program at Richmond. In 20 years of Atlantic 10 competition, Wesselink has earned seven Coach of the Year honors after leading the Spiders to nine conference championships (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012).
Wesselink reached the 200-career victory plateau in Richmond's 2000 CAA Tournament win over James Madison, and hit the 300-career victory mark in the Spiders' 4-3 win over #64 Boston University on March 12, 2009. He currently owns a career record of 429-296 after 34 years as a head coach.
While at Richmond, Wesselink has guided the Spiders to a 369-272 mark in 30-plus years at the helm, earning his 300th victory as the Spiders' head coach in a 3-2 victory over Saint Joseph's on March 29, 2014. He has been instrumental in leading Richmond's rise to prominence, totaling double-digit wins in 18 of the past 25 seasons, including consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in 1997 and 1998 and 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. In addition, Richmond captured the ITA East Region fall team title in October 1995.
As the 1997 CAA Coach of the Year, Wesselink guided Richmond's No. 1 doubles tandem of Lesia Bilak and Bridget Merrick to a national ranking of ninth. As one of the top 32 pairs in the country, the duo qualified for the NCAA Doubles Championship.
Prior to Richmond, Wesselink spent three seasons as the head coach at Drake University and posted a 60-24 mark. Previously, he served as an assistant coach at Harvard University where he helped the Crimson capture three Ivy League championships. During his tenure, five Harvard players garnered All-American recognition.
One of the most well-respected coaches in the tennis community, Wesselink served as chairmen of the 83-team ITA Division I Eastern Regional Committee in 1993.
Wesselink and his wife, Shanan Raines, a neuropsychologist with a private practice, reside in Richmond with their two children, Isaak and Paige.
COACHING HIGHLIGHTS
• Six-Time A-10 Coach of the Year
• Four-Straight A-10 Titles from 2004-07 and 2009-12
• Nine A-10 Championships
• Four-Straight NCAA Appearances from 2004-07 and 2009-12
• 2009 VaSID Coach of the Year
