Missouri announces new head tennis coach amid national sport uncertainty

ASFN Admin

Administrator
Administrator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 8, 2002
Posts
1,257,373
Reaction score
59
While collegiate tennis programs across the country are facing uncertain futures as athletic departments look for cost-cutting avenues in the revenue-sharing era, Missouri athletics has announced it has hired a new head tennis coach.

Mizzou officially announced Tuesday that former Tennessee associate head coach Robin Goodman will be the 13th head coach in program history. Goodman was previously the head coach for five years at Pacific in the West Coast Conference.

“We're thrilled to welcome Robin Goodman to Mizzou as the head coach of our women's tennis program," Mizzou athletic director Laird Veatch said in a news release. "He brings proven leadership as a head coach, a deep understanding of what it takes to compete and win at the highest levels of college tennis and valuable experience in the SEC.”

"I'm incredibly honored and excited to be named the head coach at the University of Missouri. I want to thank Laird Veatch, the administration, and everyone involved in this process for believing in me to lead this program," Goodman said in the release. "Missouri is a special place with tremendous potential, and I'm passionate about building this program the right way.”


Serving up a new era

We are excited to announce Robin Goodman as the 13th head coach in @Mizzou_Tennis history!

: https://t.co/kk4U5nfda4#MIZ pic.twitter.com/93R7pErgbz

— Mizzou Athletics (@MizzouAthletics) May 12, 2026

Several university athletic departments, including Arkansas in the SEC and Saint Louis within the Show-Me State borders, have cut their tennis programs this year. The decisions have come as athletic departments face increasingly tighter budgets in the current collegiate landscape.

This year, schools can distribute up to approximately $21.3 million of revenue directly to their student-athletes — a product of last year’s house settlement. That is up from $20.5 million last year. Schools also can source third-party name, image and likeness deals for athletes in addition to revenue-sharing.

More: Missouri AD Laird Veatch says cutting programs ‘not a consideration’

More: Here are terms of Missouri athletic director Laird Veatch’s new contract

Those increased costs have been cited as a reason for cutting scholarship programs. Both Arkansas and SLU — and many others — have cited expenses as the reason for cutting their tennis programs.

Speaking at Mizzou’s ‘Zou to You’ caravan stop on April 29 in St. Charles, Missouri’s AD said his department has no plans to cut any programs.

“We're fortunate to be in a situation where that is not a consideration for us. And, in fact, right now, we are going through an open search for our head women's tennis coach position, and having incredible interest,” Veatch said. “And part of that is because the university overall is really growing. Enrollment is good. … We are the one Power-(conference) school in this state, a lot of support and alignment from our board and president and others.

“So, because of that, they recognize the value of athletics and are willing to invest in it and help us through some of those challenges that maybe other schools have to struggle with.”

You must be registered for see images attach


Goodman is from Cambridge, England, and played college tennis at Drake.

The new Mizzou coach was named the WCC Coach of the Year in the fall of 2023 for guiding Pacific to the NIT Championship final and sending a doubles team to the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Championship.

Tennessee made the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season with Goodman as its associate head coach.

Goodman replaces interim head coach Silvia Chinellato as MU’s head coach. Chinellato took over on an interim basis last year for Bianca Turati, who left to become the associate head coach at Texas.

Mizzou went 12-18 last season with an 0-15 mark in SEC play.

Missouri last went to the NCAA Tournament in 2003. Only three of MU’s previous 12 head coaches have achieved a career win-loss record above .500.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Mizzou announces new head tennis coach amid sport's national uncertainty

Continue reading...
 
Top