Cleveland State University - Meet the Coaches

Brian Etzkin is entering his ninth season as Cleveland State University's men's and women's tennis coach. With his extensive knowledge and passion for the game, Etzkin has successfully rebuilt Cleveland State tennis from the ground up, and is now producing confident and consistent teams. His men's team is the twice defending Horizon League Champs and just cracked the Top 75 in the ITA Division I National Tennis Rankings for the first time ever. In addition the women's team have their best chance ever to win the Horizon League this year.

Not only does Etzkin stress academics and sportsmanship, he always encourages his players to become involved in their school and the community. The teams have adopted a second grade class at Marion-Sterling Elementary in downtown Cleveland. At least three members of the teams visit the children in the class twice a week to assist students with their reading, comprehension, and vocabulary skills. The teams have been working there for the last six years and will continue this on-going service project.

Etzkin, who was born in Cleveland and raised in Wooster, returned to Northeast Ohio after a two-year stint as an assistant men's tennis coach at Michigan State. While at MSU, he assisted in every aspect of the program, including serving as recruiting coordinator.

He also worked as the assistant tennis professional at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility in addition to being the head tennis pro at Walnut Hills Country Club.

Prior to his tenure with the Spartans, Etzkin spent two seasons as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's programs at Western Illinois University (1998-00). In addition to his collegiate coaching post, Etzkin coached the 2002 Midwest Junior Davis Cup team to the national championship in Columbia, S.C. He is also a United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) Certified Teaching Pro.

Etzkin played four years of tennis at Southern-Illinois University-Carbondale, earning a bachelor's degree in psychology. As a senior in 1998, he received GTE Academic All-American honors and was a two-time Missouri Valley Conference All-Academic selection.

Etzkin earned a master's degree in sport management from Western Illinois in 2002.

Office: 216-687-4811
Cell: 216-310-4152
Email: b.etzkin@csuohio.edu