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 | Hometown:
Naples, FL
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| Last College:
University of Kentucky
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| Position:
Head Coach
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Head coach Greg Van Emburgh is in his eighth season as the head coach of the Wisconsin men's tennis program in 2012-13. During his time leading the Badgers, Van Emburgh has engineered the reemergence of UW as both a conference and national power.
Greg Van Emburgh Photo Gallery
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| The Van Emburgh File |
| Hometown |
| Naples, Fla. |
| Alma Mater |
| University of Kentucky, 1989 |
| Family |
| Wife Tracey; sons Jake and Jenson |
| Coaching Career |
| Head Coach, University of Wisconsin, 2006-present |
| Associate Head Coach, University of Kentucky, 2001-05 |
| Coaching Highlights |
| UW Player Awards |
| Nine All-Big Ten awards |
| One Big Ten Freshman of the Year award |
| 11 Academic All-Big Ten awards |
| One Academic All-District award |
| UW in Post-Season Play |
| 2013 Big Ten Tournament First Round |
| 2012 Big Ten Tournament First Round |
| 2011 Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals |
| 2010 NCAA Sweet 16 |
| 2009 NCAA First Round |
| 2008 NCAA Second Round |
| 2007 NCAA Second Round |
| 2006 Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals |
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Under Van Emburgh's leadership, the 2012-13 Badgers got off to the best start to a season since 1988, earning a 10-2 record. Wisconsin finished the season 13-12, including a 4-7 Big Ten record. The year was highlighted by wins over four ranked opponents, including a 4-3 victory over No. 40 Minnesota to open conference play for the Badgers.
The 2011-12 Badgers posted a 12-12 overall record, marking the fifth time in the previous six seasons Wisconsin finished with at least a .500 record. UW struggled early in Big Ten play, before rallying in the second half of the season to post four wins in their last five matches, including two wins over ranked opponents.
Van Emburgh's 2010-11 Badgers were led by three-time All-Big Ten honoree Marek Michalicka. A young squad including seven freshmen, UW posted a 12-13 overall record and ended the season in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten tournament. The Badgers hosted the league tournament at Nielsen Tennis Stadium. Michalicka represented Wisconsin in the NCAA postseason, earning an at-large berth to the singles national championship.
The 2009-10 season saw Van Emburgh's Badgers advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history in the team's fourth-straight NCAA tournament appearance. UW knocked off then-No. 39 Notre Dame and then-No. 13 Illinois en route to a Sweet 16 meeting with then-No. 4 Ohio State. Wisconsin also sent two players to the NCAA singles and doubles championship as Marek Michalicka and Moritz Baumann competed in both championships.
The Badgers ended the 2009-10 season ranked No. 23 in the ITA national rankings. UW's 21-9 overall record marked the sixth time in program history, and the first time since 1990, that the Badgers posted a 20-win season.
The 2009 season saw Van Emburgh lead the Badgers to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year. Under his direction, Michalicka and Baumann earned at-large bids to compete in the singles portion of the 2009 NCAA Tennis Championships. It was the first time since 1975 that Wisconsin has sent at least two players to the NCAA for singles competition. In that same year, Wisconsin earned its highest ranking at the No. 19 spot cracking the top-20 for the first time in 32 years.
In 2008, it was the first time in program history that Wisconsin earned a trip to the NCAA tournament in consecutive years. Also for the second straight year, UW defeated Washington in the opening round of the tournament by a score of 4-1.
During the 2008 season, Wisconsin posted its first undefeated home record (11-0) since 1991. The Badgers won 12 of their last 15 matches, including eight over ranked opponents. UW finished with an overall record of 17-9 and an 8-2 Big Ten record, marking the team's first eight-win Big Ten season since 1982.
In 2007, Van Emburgh led the Badgers to one of the most successful seasons in program history. The team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, marking Wisconsin's first trip to the tournament since 1998 and only the third in school history.
During his debut season with UW in 2006, Van Emburgh led the Badgers to 11 overall wins, the program's highest win total since 2001.
Before coming to Wisconsin, Van Emburgh served as associate head coach at Kentucky. The Wildcats finished with a national ranking no lower than 15th in each of his four seasons on the staff and reached the NCAA quarterfinals in 2002. Van Emburgh coached Jesse Witten to the 2002 NCAA singles final and the 2004 ITA Intercollegiate Indoor Championship final.
Van Emburgh was an ATP touring professional from 1988-99. During his career, Van Emburgh competed in 38 grand slam events, reaching the Wimbledon doubles quarterfinals in 1989 and the semifinals in 1990. He was a winner of seven ATP Tour doubles events and a runner-up in seven more. His highest individual world ranking was No. 28 in 1993. Van Emburgh was ranked as high as No. 11 with doubles partner Shelby Cannon, and he finished in the ATP's Top 100 for 10 straight years.
Van Emburgh's professional career included doubles wins over Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, Todd Martin, Goran Ivanisevic and Boris Becker. He was a touring pro for Naples Bath and Tennis Club from 1990-94, conducting exhibitions, pro-ams and clinics. He also served as Director of Tennis for that organization from 1999-2000. Van Emburgh competed in World Team Tennis as a member of the Florida Twist in 1994.
Van Emburgh and his wife, Tracey, are the parents of two children: Jake (14) and Jenson (12)
Playing Career
Collegiate Highlights
• Four-time All-American in singles and doubles
• Became the first singles All-American in Kentucky history in 1987 after advancing to the NCAA quarterfinals
• Reached the NCAA doubles semifinals and captured the SEC doubles title in 1988
• Member of the 1987 U.S. World University Team that earned a bronze medal
• Member of the 1988 USTA Junior Davis Cup Team
• Inducted into UK's tennis Hall of Fame
Professional Highlights
• ATP touring professional from 1988-99
• Competed in 38 grand slam events, reaching the Wimbledon doubles quarterfinals in 1989 and the semifinals in 1990
• Won seven ATP doubles events and was a runner-up at seven additional events reached an individual world ranking of No. 28 in 1993
• Ranked as high as No. 11 with doubles partner Shelby Cannon
Coaching Career
Associate Head Coach, University of Kentucky, 2001-05
Highlights
• Helped lead the Wildcats to the quarterfinals at the 2002 NCAA tournament
• Coached Jesse Witten to the 2002 NCAA singles final and the 2004 ITA Intercollegiate Indoor Championship final
• UK finished with a national ranking no lower than 15th in each of his four seasons with the team
Head Coach, University of Wisconsin, 2005-present
Highlights
• Led Badgers to program's first NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in 2010
• Team made four straight NCAA tournament appearances from 2007-2010
• Team made program's third NCAA tournament appearance and earned first NCAA tournament win in school history in 2007
• Coached Nolan Polley to the 2005 Big Ten singles championship
• Has coached seven Academic All-Big Ten selections (honored 11 times) and one academic all-district honoree
• Has coached four All-Big Ten players (honored nine times)
• Finished the 2010 season ranked No. 23 nationally, the highest season-ending rank in school history
• Reached a national ranking of No. 19 in 2009, the highest by UW in over 30 years
• Led the Badgers to 27 wins in his first two seasons, then the most by UW in a two-year period since 1991-92; has since led the Badgers to 16-or-more wins in each season
• 2010 Badgers' 21 wins marked the sixth 20-win season in program history and was only one win shy of the program record 22 wins set in 1977 and 1978
Van Emburgh's Year-by-Year Results at Wisconsin
| Season |
Overall |
Big Ten/Finish |
Big Ten Tournament |
Postseason |
| 2005-06 |
11-12 |
3-7/8th |
Big Ten Quarterfinals |
Big Ten Tournament |
| 2006-07 |
16-11 |
6-4/T-4th |
Big Ten Semifinals |
NCAA Second Round |
| 2007-08 |
18-10 |
8-2/T-2nd |
Big Ten Semfinals |
NCAA Second Round |
| 2008-09 |
16-11 |
4-6/T-7th |
Big Ten Quarterfinals |
NCAA First Round |
| 2009-10 |
21-9 |
7-3/4th |
Big Ten Semifinals |
NCAA Round of 16 |
| 2010-11 |
12-13 |
5-5/6th |
Big Ten Quarterfinals |
Singles- NCAA First Round |
| 2011-12 |
12-12 |
4-7/8th |
Big Ten First Round |
Doubles- NCAA First Round |
| 2012-13 |
13-12 |
4-7/8th |
Big Ten First Round |
Big Ten Tournament |
| Career |
119-90 |
41-41 |
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