SPRINGFIELD, Ohio--Wittenberg athletics announced today that Nick Rohner has officially resigned from his three-year post as Head Men's and Women's Tennis coach, effective January 31.
In his statement, Rohner cites the upcoming birth of his first child with his wife, Kaela, as the impending factor in deciding to pursue other opportunities.
"I would like to thank Wittenberg, particularly Gary Williams and the athletic department, for giving me the opportunity to lead the women's and men's tennis programs these last several years and for supporting my decision to pursue other opportunities for my family. I have had an incredible experience working with the students, faculty, staff, and alumni who make this place so great. While I will truly miss the people that made Springfield home, Wittenberg will continue to hold a special place in my heart," said Rohner
Rohner arrived in Springfield in 2014 and propelled seven Tiger student-athletes to be recognized as North Coast Athletic Conference All-Conference honorees, while both the men's and women's programs competed at the conference level in his three seasons as head coach.
Current assistant coach, and 2013 Wittenberg Hall of Honor Inductee Eby Day will serve as the interim head coach for the Tigers during their 2017 campaign.
"I am very excited about this opportunity, and really want to thank Dr. Gary Williams. I have always considered Wittenberg my home, and I am really looking forward to continuing to build a successful tennis program here," said Day.
Day was a standout on the tennis court at Wittenberg between 1982-1985. As a team, the Tigers rolled to numerous conference and state titles during Day's career, compiling a four-year record of 36-4 while winning the 1983 Ohio Division III State championship, the 1984 Centennial Athletic Conference and Ohio Division III State championships, and the 1985 Ohio Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles.
Individually, Day was even more dominant as she piled up 44 singles wins, which stood as the school record for 20 years and a phenomenal .936 winning percentage, second-best in program history.
"Nick did a tremendous job during his time with us and will be missed. I want to thank him for all his efforts to reshape the culture of both of our tennis programs. I admire Nick for his decision to leave coaching to spend more time with his family. I wish him and Kaela all the best with the upcoming birth of their daughter," said Director of Athletics, Dr. Gary Williams.
"I am very pleased that Eby Day has agreed to serve as our interim head coach for both programs. Eby has been a welcomed addition to our tennis program and brings a tremendous amount of passion, energy, and a love for Wittenberg to our athletes every day. I am looking forward to seeing how our program continues to grow in the coming months under her leadership," continued Williams.
Both Tiger tennis programs return to action on February 11 with a non-conference tilt at Albion College in Albion, Michigan.
