Assistant van der Merwe Promoted to Baylor MT Associate Head Coach

[Pirtle, Colin]

BAYLOR ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS – June 27, 2023

Assistant van der Merwe Promoted to Baylor MT Associate Head Coach
Woodson rewards five-year staff member with new title
For more information contact: Colin Pirtle; 940-564-0351, colin_pirtle1 at baylor.edu<mailto:colin_pirtle1 at baylor.edu>


WACO, Texas – Izak van der Merwe, a five-year member of the Baylor men’s tennis staff, was promoted to Associate Head Coach, announced Tuesday by head coach Michael Woodson.



Beginning in 2019, van der Merwe joined the staff as volunteer assistant and was promoted to assistant coach in August of 2020 when then-assistant Woodson was promoted to interim head coach.



“It is hard to put into words what it has meant for me to work alongside Izak these past five years,” said Woodson. “We have gone through great successes and difficult challenges, learning and growing along the way. Though I didn’t know him prior to his arrival on campus in 2018, he has quickly become family to the entire Baylor Men’s Tennis program and to Vanessa and me. He has always been an incredibly smart and gifted player then coach, but it has been a true joy to watch him grow into his role as a leader of this team. He has a grace, professionalism and drive that permeates through the Hurd Tennis Center.”



van der Merwe is a two-time recipient of the ITA Texas Regional Assistant Coach of the Year awards, aiding Woodson to indoor and outdoor team championship appearances and three-straight Big 12 tournament titles.



“I am very honored and excited to be named Associate Head Coach,” said van der Merwe. “I am extremely grateful to Michael, Jacqui [Haddock] and all of the amazing staff that I get to work with on a daily basis. They have become a family to me and have been a huge support to me over my five seasons at Baylor. I take great pride in working at a University and in a program where we can have such an impact on our players. I look forward to the opportunity to serve in this role and continue to help build champions for life.”



Since van der Merwe’s first spring season in 2019, the Bears have produced 15 first-team ITA All-Americans and one second-team member.



Before coming to Baylor, van der Merwe competed on the ATP World Tour from 2005 to 2014, earning a career-high No. 94 doubles ranking and No. 113 singles ranking and winning a total of 17 ATP Challenger Tour singles and doubles titles.



He also competed as part of Team South Africa in 13 Davis Cup ties from 2006 to 2014, where the team made four World Group Playoff appearances.



The Johannesburg, South Africa, native played collegiate tennis at Old Dominion and was the school's first two-time ITA Collegiate Tennis All-American and the only Monarch to reach the national semifinals in the NCAA, All-American and ITA Indoor national championships.



He earned All-America status in doubles (2004) and singles (2004, 2005) and capped off his Monarch career with a 73-27 singles record and 73-33 doubles record. He was inducted into the Old Dominion Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.



“He is more than deserving of this promotion, and I can speak for the players and staff when I say we are all excited to continue to learn and grow as a result of his dedication to our tennis program,” Woodson said.



To stay up to date throughout the season on all things Baylor men’s tennis, follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @BaylorMTennis.



- BaylorBears.com -

_________________________________________
Colin Pirtle | Associate Director of Athletics Communications (T&F/XC, MTEN, FB)
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 940-564-0351

[signature_2230589939]<http://baylorbears.com/>

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