BALTIMORE, MD – Johns Hopkins men's tennis head coach Chuck Willenborg announced today that he will step down at the end of the 2021 season after 17 seasons at the helm. A national search for Willenborg's successor will begin immediately.
 
"It has been a pleasure and a privilege to serve as the men's and women's tennis coach at Johns Hopkins," said Willenborg. "The success that we have achieved could not have been possible without the support of the players, coaches, athletic administration and staff. Also, I want to thank my family for their support of me being able to follow my dreams and coach college tennis. I am proud to see the program grow into one of the strongest tennis programs in the country and able to contend for national championships. It will be exciting to complete my coaching journey this spring with this amazing team. I am confident that Hopkins tennis will thrive in the years to come with the strong recruiting,  support from our admissions,  alumni and Hopkins athletics. Thank you again for all the memories."
 
Willenborg came to Homewood in 2005 to coach both the men's and women's tennis teams and quickly brought them to national prominence. He took over a men's team that had gone 5-5 in 2004 and hadn't won a conference championship since 1961. In his first season, JHU went 13-2 and won the Centennial Conference title, snapping Washington College's streak of 11 straight. The following year, the Blue Jays made the first of 14 straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
 
Willenborg guided the Blue Jay women's team to a 13-3 record, its first double-digit win season since 1987, and a second-place finish in the Centennial in 2005. In his third season with the women, Hopkins won its first conference title since 1984 and made its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. In six seasons as the women's head coach, Willenborg's Blue Jays went 91-29 (.758), including 55-5 (.917) in the Centennial, and won four conference titles with four NCAA trips. Before turning over the program to Dave Woodring after the 2010 season, he coached 22 All-Centennial Conference selections, one Player of the Year, five ITA All-Americans, seven CoSIDA Academic All-District picks and one CoSIDA Academic All-American.
 
"We are truly thankful to Chuck for his many years of dedication and service to our tennis programs," said Director of Athletics Jennifer S. Baker. "Under his leadership, our teams have enjoyed unmatched competitive success and achieved a high level of national recognition.  Without question, the legacy of success he leaves provides the ideal foundation from which to continue to elevate and advance our program moving forward. He has firmly cemented his place in Hopkins Athletics history, and we wish him continued success in the future."
 
Willenborg guided Hopkins to double-digit win seasons in every year, except for the COVID-shortened 2020 season, since 2005. In addition, JHU posted three 20-win seasons, the only three in school history. He has led the Blue Jays to a 269-73 (.786) record, including a 131-3 (.977) mark in the Centennial Conference. The Blue Jays have won 13 consecutive Centennial Conference titles and 14 of the last 15. In addition, JHU has won 35 straight conference matches and 117 of its last 118. Hopkins is 27-1 (.964) in the Centennial Conference Tournament since its inception in 2006. JHU has made each of the last 14 NCAA Tournaments, with four quarterfinal appearances. Hopkins has sent players to the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championship every year since 2007.
 
Willenborg has coached 88 All-Centennial Conference selections, six Players of the Year, one Rookie of the Year, 37 ITA All-Americans and the 2014 ITA National Rookie of the Year. In addition, he has coached 12 CoSIDA Academic All-District selections and a pair of CoSIDA Academic All-Americans. The Blue Jays have produced three ITA Southeast Regional singles champions and six doubles champions.