Women's Tennis
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Phone:
- 325-2896
Career
Seasons Coaching (Overall): 24
Seasons As Head Coach: 13 (Northern Iowa and Lindsey Wilson)
Seasons At Mississippi State: 8
Career Record (As Head Coach): 199-103 (65.9%)
Career Record At Mississippi State (As Assistant): 99-72 (57.9%) / 32-50 SEC (39.0%)
National Results/Honors
- NCAA Appearances: 5 (2015-2018,'21)
- Final ITA Top-50 Finishes: 5 (2015 – No. 32; 2016 - No. 23, 2017 - No. 20, 2018 – No. 29; 2019 – No. 50; 2021 - #42)
- All-America Selections: 3 (Jasmine Lee - S&D (2017); Lisa Marie Rioux - D (2017); Emmanouela Antonaki - S (2021) )
- NCAA Singles Selections: 7 (Jasmine Lee - 2015, 2016, 2017; Georgiana Patrasc – 2016; Emma Antonaki – 2019,'21 )
- CoSIDA Academic All-America: 1 (2015 – Naomi Tran, Third Team)
- CoSIDA Academic All-District: 3 (2015 – Naomi Tran, First Team; 2018 – Anastasia Rentouli; 2019 – Anastasia Rentouli)
- ITA Scholar Athlete Selections: 20
- SEC Championship Quarterfinals: 3 (2015, 2016, 2017)
- All-SEC Selections: 9 (Jasmine Lee – 1st Team (2015, 2016, 2017); Georgiana Patrasc - 2nd Team (2016); Lisa Marie Rioux - Freshman Team (2017); Madison Harrison - 2nd Team (2018); Anastasia Rentouli - 2nd Team (2018-19); Emmanouela Antonaki – 2nd Team, Freshman Team (2019), 1st Team (2021); Magda Adalogou - 2nd Team (2021) )
- SEC Player/Freshman of the Week: 9
- Highest Final Regional Team Ranking: 2nd (2017)
- ITA Southern Region Senior Player of the Year: 1 (Jasmine Lee - 2017)
- ITA Southern Region Most Improved Senior: 1 (Georgiana Patrasc - 2016)
- ITA Southern Region Player to Watch: 3 (Jasmine Lee – 2015, 2016; Emmanouela Antonaki - 2021)
- ITA Southern Region Rookie of the Year: 2 (Emma Antonaki – 2019; Chloé Cirotte - 2021)
- ITA Southern Region Arthur Ashe, Jr. Leadership and Sportsmanship Award: 1 (Anastasia Rentouli – 2018)
- ITA Southern Region Cissy Leary Sportsmanship Award: 2 (Anastasia Rentouli – 2018-19)
- 2017 ITA Southern Region Assistant Coach of the Year
- 2014 Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year
- 2011 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year
Having enjoyed enormous success at multiple programs, Sachin Kirtane made his jump to the Southeastern Conference in July of 2014 when he was named the assistant coach of the Mississippi State women's tennis program. Kirtane replaced James Bryce, who was named head coach at James Madison University.
Following three of the most successful seasons in MSU Women's Tennis history after his arrival, Kirtane was promoted to Associate Head Coach in the fall of 2017.
That promotion came on the heels of a season that saw State achieve its highest ITA national ranking ever (16th) in April of 2017. The Bulldogs also tied the school record for best final national ranking at No. 20. State went 15-9 in 2017, earning a third-consecutive NCAA bid, while also notching a second-straight seven-win season in the always-powerful Southeastern Conference. Kirtane was named ITA Southern Regional Assistant Coach of the Year following the impressive campaign.
The 2016 season ranked as one of State's best in program history as the duo of head coach Daryl Greenan and Kirtane led the Bulldogs to an 18-9 record overall. MSU also finished 7-6 in the tough Southeastern Conference (the seven wins were a program best), including a school-record four in a row to end the regular season, and reaced the NCAA Second Round and SEC quarterfinals for the second year in a row.
State finished 2016 at No. 23 nationally, the second-highest final ITA ranking in program history. Of the Bulldogs' 18 wins, 13 came against ranked opponents and all nine of State's setbacks were to teams in the final top 20.
Lindsey Wilson Men's/Women's Head Coach (2012-14)
Before his time with the Maroon and White, Kirtane spent two seasons at the helm of the Lindsey Wilson College men’s and women’s tennis programs, helping elevate the Blue Raiders to among the top programs in the NAIA.
In his two seasons, he led the Lindsey Wilson women’s tennis team to back-to-back national semifinal appearances, while guiding the men to consecutive quarterfinal showings. Kirtane’s 2014 squads both captured the Mid-South Conference Tournament titles, while his women’s Blue Raiders team won its second-straight regular season crown.
In his two seasons leading the Blue Raiders, Kirtane coached 10 NAIA All-Americans (six women and four men) and 20 All-MSC selections (11 women, nine men). Kirtane also has recruited and coached a pair of MSC Freshman of the Year honorees, one from each of his programs.
Kirtane capped his time at Lindsey Wilson by being tabbed as the MSC Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year by his peers following a sweep of the regular season and tournament titles.
Northern Iowa Head Coach (2002-12)
Prior to Lindsey Wilson, Kirtane had a successful stint as the head coach of the Northern Iowa women’s tennis program, leading the Panthers to a 129-88 record in 10 seasons. His 129 victories stand as the most in UNI women’s tennis history.
Under Kirtane’s direction, the Panthers posted eight consecutive winning seasons, including a second-place regular-season finish in 2011, which earned him the Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Tennis Coach of the Year honor. The Panthers also captured ITA All-Academic Team honors eight-straight seasons under Kirtane.
Valdosta State Men's/Women's Assistant Coach (1998-2002)
Before taking over the UNI program, Kirtane was the assistant men’s and women’s coach at Valdosta State from 1998-2002. In 2000, the men’s team reached as high as fourth in the nation, while the women’s team won the conference title and reached the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Championship. A year later, the men’s program reached the No. 2 ranking in the nation and won it’s second-straight conference title.
Playing Career
Before beginning his coaching career, Kirtane was an All-American on the court at Valdosta State. A part of the team that finished fourth nationally in 1994-95, he competed in the NCAA Division II National Tournament and won the Gulf South Conference title in 1995. Kirtane was named VSU’s Most Valuable Player in 1996.
In 2005, he was inducted into the Valdosta State Athletics Hall of Fame, honoring his dedication to his alma mater as both a player and a coach.
Personal
Kirtane graduated from Valdosta State in 1998 with a marketing degree and later earned his master’s degree from VSU in business administration.
He is married to the former Stephanie Hickman.
