Augustana tennis team head coach Jon Miedema won his 100th game against Illinois Wesleyan on September 10. The women’s team won 9-0 in Bloomington, Illinois to give Miedema the milestone victory. They went on to win 9-0 against Millikin later that day to improve his lifetime record of 101-44.
Miedema has been Augustana’s men’s and women’s tennis coach since the 2011-2012 season and reflected upon his time here at Augustana. He said as soon as he became coach, he saw improvements that needed to be made to the team.
“We lost the first two matches I coached here at Augustana and I realized that we had some work to do to get better,” Miedma said. “One of those losses was against a conference team that we’ve beat 9-0 each year for the last five years, which I’m proud of. The first win was against Loras on Labor day in 2011. It was certainly more enjoyable to be on the winning side; that I do remember.”
Miedema, going on his sixth season as head coach, has helped the tennis program achieve many accomplishments. He has recruited many players that have left legacies here at Augustana. This includes sophomore Caitlyn Schaffer, who last year had the most singles wins in a season for women’s tennis at Augustana. Miedema also coached the 2014-2015 women’s team to its first NCAA Division III tournament birth since the 1979-1980 season.
Miedema has a 40-29 record in conference play including one first-place finish and two second-place finishes. Miedema has coached eight CCIW All-Conference players who collectively had 15 All-Conference selections throughout his tenor, including one CCIW Conference Player of the Year.
Miedema recognizes that these accomplishments would not have been obtained if not for his players.
“The wins are just a reminder that I’ve coached some great players in the last five years,” said Miedema. “I wouldn’t be in this position without them, so I am incredibly grateful for all those players time, energy and sacrifice to get the program where it is today.”
Miedema is currently in third place for most overall wins on the women’s tennis team. He is behind Harry Johnson, who has 153 wins, and Larry Flaherty, who has 121 wins.
Miedema looks to add another win to his record at the women’s tennis team’s match against CCIW rival North Park on Friday and how well his men’s tennis team will do in the ITA Midwest Regional meet in Kalamazoo, MI.