Sachin Kirtane - Women's Tennis Coach - Ball State University Athletics

Sachin Kirtane

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
sachin.kirtane@bsu.edu

Ball State University Director of Athletics Jeff Mitchell has named Sachin Kirtane to lead the Cardinals women's tennis program. Successful in every stop of his coaching career, Kirtane inherits a Ball State program that has had success of its own – two straight Mid-American Conference championships and three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.

During his nine seasons at Mississippi State, Kirtane helped the Bulldogs to five NCAA appearances and five ITA top 50 finishes. Kirtane coached three All-Americans at Mississippi State and eight NCAA singles selections. Within the Southeastern Conference, MSU reached the SEC Championship quarterfinals in 2015, 2016 and 2017, and athletes earned 11 All-SEC selections. Hired as MSU's assistant coach in Fall 2014, he was elevated to associate head coach following his naming as ITA Southern Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2017.

"Coach Kirtane exudes a passion for teaching and development, and consistently has guided teams to a high level of success," said Mitchell. "I believe that our women's tennis program will continue to perform at a championship caliber level with Coach Kirtane at the helm."

Kirtane made his jump to the SEC following two seasons as the men's and women's head coach at NAIA Lindsey Wilson College, in Kentucky. He led the women's team to back-to-back national semifinal appearances while guiding the men to consecutive quarterfinal showings. His 2014 squads both captured Mid-South tournament titles and after being tabbed as the Mid-South women's coach of the year following a sweep of regular season and tournament titles, he returned his focus to the women's game at Mississippi State.

A former Division II All-America player at Valdosta State, Kirtane made the most of his first head coaching opportunity by leading the Northern Iowa women's program for 10 seasons and maintaining a 129-88 overall record. The 2011 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, he became the winningest coach in program history and broadened his influence as a committee member for the NCAA Division I Tennis Championships.

During Kirtane's direction from 2002-12, the Panthers posted eight consecutive winning seasons including a second-place regular-season finish in 2011. The Panthers also captured ITA All-Academic Team honors eight straight seasons under Kirtane.

"My wife Stephanie and I are thrilled to join the Ball State Cardinal family," said Kirtane, "and I am thankful to Jeff Mitchell for giving me this opportunity. Ball State tennis has such a rich tradition, and it is an honor to lead this program. I am looking forward to meeting the players and embarking on this journey."

Kirtane was inducted into the Valdosta State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005, celebrating a two-time All-America (1997 & 1998) playing career with four Gulf South all-conference selections. He was part of a 1995 VSU team that finished fourth nationally. He earned a marketing degree at VSU (1998) and later received a master's degree in management (2000) while beginning his coaching career as a VSU graduate assistant coach.