By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – An experienced head coach with a proven track record of success, Mark Klysner has spent close to 20 years in charge of a collegiate program, including the last 15 years as head coach on the Division I stage.
Klysner will bring this wealth of experience to Cookeville after being named the 18th head coach Tennessee Tech men's tennis history following the retirement of Kenny Doyle, who spent the last 16 years guiding the Golden Eagles.
"I am truly honored to be named the next head tennis coach at Tennessee Tech," Klysner claimed. "I want to especially thank Mandy Thatcher, Dr. Leveda Birdwell and Steve Springthorpe for believing in me and my vision for this program and I cannot wait to get started. From the first moment I stepped on campus and had the chance to meet so many individuals within the athletic department, I knew this was a special place that I could see my family and I making home for years to come."
Klysner enters his TTU tenure on the heels of a 12-year run as the head coach at Illinois State where he became the program's all-time winningest coach with 119 victories throughout his duration in Normal, which also included guiding the Redbirds through a seamless transition into the Summit League before the 2018 spring season.
After winning a Missouri Valley Conference Tournament match in each of ISU's final four years in the conference, Klysner led the Redbirds to three consecutive winning campaigns in the club's first three years in the Summit League.
Klysner coached two Summit League Players of the Year behind banner seasons from Igor Kolaric in 2018 and Nam Pham in 2022. The 2024 Illinois State squad captured 14 victories, the most in a single season under Klysner's direction.
His squads also competed in the classroom, capturing the highest team GPA award in all but two semesters during his ISU tenure.
"The commitment that this athletic department here at Tennessee Tech has shown for all of its sports was something that excited me in leading this program to excellence, not only on the tennis court, but especially in the classroom as well," Klysner said. "I look forward to building relationships with the current players as well as future members of this team as we strive to put a program that the school and community can be proud of.
"I want to thank Illinois State University for the past 12 years. I met and made countless friends there, and to the players I was fortunate to coach during that time, I am a better coach for having had those relationships and walk away with a lifetime of memories. I want to say a special thank you to Leanna Bordner and Larry Lyons for their leadership and making me feel at home at Illinois State. Taking a new job in a new state is never an easy decision so I want to thank my wife Kristen and our three boys Jordan, Hayden and Sully for their loving support. I cannot wait to get more familiar with the Cookeville community and build a winning program. Wings Up."
Prior to his dozen-year tenure in Normal, Klysner spent three seasons from 2010-13 as the head men's coach at Youngstown State, where he also served as the head women's coach during his final two years there. Both Penguin programs soared to new heights in the spring of 2013 in Klysner's last year in charge. The women's team picked up 15 victories for the most since the 1999 season, while the YSU men's 13 nods were the most in a single season since 1991. The Penguin women also secured a spot in the Horizon League Tournament championship match in 2013 for just the second time in school history.
Klysner has also had Division I stops as an assistant for both the men's and women's programs at Fairleigh Dickinson from 2009-10 and Austin Peay from 2008-09. During his one year at FDU, the Knights' women's squad won the Northeast Conference regular-season title, while the men's program finished second in the league.
Klysner's first head-coaching role took place at Green River Community College in Auburn, Wash., where he guided both the men's and women's programs from 2005-08. His first collegiate stint was as assistant for both the men's and women's teams at South Carolina at Aiken in 1999-2000.
As a former standout student-athlete at South Carolina, Klysner was his team's No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles player and would earn top-50 nationally rankings in both singles and doubles.
As a professional, Klysner has competed in tournaments all over the world and has claimed tourney titles on the Canadian circuit. Among his professional highlights, Klysner topped former world No. 1, Andy Roddick.
Born in Hillerod, Denmark, he and his family moved to Winnipeg, Canda, where Klysner became a member of the Canadian Junior National Team and won over 30 tournaments throughout Canada, the U.S. and Europe.
Klysner is married to his wife Kristen and has three sons, Jordan (24), Hayden (16) and Sullivan (13).
