Baker resigns as head women’s tennis coach

After 13 years of service as the women’s tennis coach at Charleston Southern, Mike Baker announced his resignation on Monday afternoon after accepting a coaching position that allows him to develop his son and daughter’s tennis game along with working with other junior elite tennis players. Athletic Director Jeff Barber announced that a national search for Baker’s replacement will commence.

“I want to thank Mike for his 13 years of great service to the Buccaneer women’s tennis program,” Barber said. “His record speaks for itself and he will be greatly missed by the CSU family. We respect and understand his desire to put his family first and wish him nothing but the best in the days ahead.”

Baker’s tenure includes a quartet of Big South Coach of the Year accolades, four Player of the Year selections, a Rookie/Freshman of the Year, and three Scholar-Athlete of the Year selections. He finishes his career at CSU with the third-most overall wins and second-most Big South wins in conference history.

“It has been an honor to coach at Charleston Southern University,” Baker said. “I have worked with and coached so many great people through the years. I am going to miss everyone at CSU. I know the school and the tennis program is in a great place and I am excited to see what is to come.”

Baker claimed Big South Coach of the Year honors four times, earning recognition from his peers around the conference in 2007, 2010, 2014 and 2017. He also had a hand in coaching a pair of two-time Players of the Year in Olga Makhova (2009 & 2010) and Marketa Placha (2014 & 2015). Nicolin Luecke earned the 2016 and 2017 Big South Women’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors, while Sophie Cloessner received the award in 2018. 

He posted a career 168-86 mark during his time with the Bucs, and an impressive 96-34 mark at the Buccaneer Tennis Complex over the last 13 seasons including four seasons when CSU posted perfect records at home.

The Bucs claimed Big South regular season titles in four seasons during his tenure (2010, 2014, 2015 and 2017), as well as the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth in the 2015 season after winning the conference tournament.

Baker served as the CSU men’s tennis coach for three seasons (2006-08). The Buccaneers went 36-25, including a 14-5 Big South record during the stretch. The Buccaneers had a doubles team honored as All-Big South each year from 2006 through 2008. 

He came to Charleston Southern in 2006 from his post as the Tennis Director and Junior Academy Director of the Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island, S.C.

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