2008 Woodie Awards
Friday to be men's tennis coach Jonas Piibor's last day at ISU
Piibor resigns to coach at University of Oregon
Ben Corn
Issue date: 9/26/08 Section: Sports
Men's tennis coach Jonas Piibor is leaving ISU but will miss a lot of things about being a Sycamore.
"I have a lot of great memories here," Piibor said.
Piibor resigned his position at ISU Monday to take a coaching position with the University of Oregon.
Athletic director Ron Prettyman said the interim leader of the team is still a question mark. The Sycamores have competition starting Oct. 3 at Ball State. Who will be with the team is unknown because Piibor's time at ISU ends Friday.
"We haven't had a lot of time to [find a new coach]," Prettyman said. "But we are committed to making sure the student-athletes have their opportunity to compete."
Prettyman said he isn't looking for a permanent coach right now, but instead for somebody for the interim period before they can fill the position fulltime. Before the administration fills the position, others will have to step in to help, including administration members and women's tennis head coach Malik Tabet.
"[The search] began ten minutes after Coach Piibor left my office," Prettyman said.
Michael Wenham is the lone senior on the team and knows he will have to assume a bigger leadership role this year, especially with Piibor gone. He and junior Mpiloenhle Migogo are co-captains on the team this year.
"I believe [the team] is going to be fine," Piibor said. "[The administration] is going to make a plan for the program and take off from where I left off."
Piibor had been the head coach of the Sycamores for four years before resigning. His time at ISU was marked by a return to contention on the court and improvement in the classroom.
"He was a good tennis coach," Prettyman said. "He really cared about the university. In addition to that, because of his commitment to academics personally, he really saw the need to bolster the academic standing of the men's tennis team and he really did."
The Sycamores finished 11-13 overall last year and 4-2 in Missouri Valley Conference play. On top of that, four players on last year's team - Wenham, then seniors Anton Tsymbalov and Rishi Behl and then sophomore Blake Douglas - were recognized for their GPAs and put on the MVC Honor Roll.
Piibor said the opportunity to coach at Oregon is a good move for his career as a coach.
"It's an opportunity that doesn't roll around very often," Piibor said. "I want to stay in coaching a long time. And for me, strictly business-wise, it was the best opportunity for me."
Piibor attended ISU for both his undergraduate and graduate schooling while playing tennis before eventually taking over as coach.
( Ben Corn is a senior journalism major. He can be reached at sasspted@isugw.indstate.edu.)
"I have a lot of great memories here," Piibor said.
Piibor resigned his position at ISU Monday to take a coaching position with the University of Oregon.
Athletic director Ron Prettyman said the interim leader of the team is still a question mark. The Sycamores have competition starting Oct. 3 at Ball State. Who will be with the team is unknown because Piibor's time at ISU ends Friday.
"We haven't had a lot of time to [find a new coach]," Prettyman said. "But we are committed to making sure the student-athletes have their opportunity to compete."
Prettyman said he isn't looking for a permanent coach right now, but instead for somebody for the interim period before they can fill the position fulltime. Before the administration fills the position, others will have to step in to help, including administration members and women's tennis head coach Malik Tabet.
"[The search] began ten minutes after Coach Piibor left my office," Prettyman said.
Michael Wenham is the lone senior on the team and knows he will have to assume a bigger leadership role this year, especially with Piibor gone. He and junior Mpiloenhle Migogo are co-captains on the team this year.
"I believe [the team] is going to be fine," Piibor said. "[The administration] is going to make a plan for the program and take off from where I left off."
Piibor had been the head coach of the Sycamores for four years before resigning. His time at ISU was marked by a return to contention on the court and improvement in the classroom.
"He was a good tennis coach," Prettyman said. "He really cared about the university. In addition to that, because of his commitment to academics personally, he really saw the need to bolster the academic standing of the men's tennis team and he really did."
The Sycamores finished 11-13 overall last year and 4-2 in Missouri Valley Conference play. On top of that, four players on last year's team - Wenham, then seniors Anton Tsymbalov and Rishi Behl and then sophomore Blake Douglas - were recognized for their GPAs and put on the MVC Honor Roll.
Piibor said the opportunity to coach at Oregon is a good move for his career as a coach.
"It's an opportunity that doesn't roll around very often," Piibor said. "I want to stay in coaching a long time. And for me, strictly business-wise, it was the best opportunity for me."
Piibor attended ISU for both his undergraduate and graduate schooling while playing tennis before eventually taking over as coach.
( Ben Corn is a senior journalism major. He can be reached at sasspted@isugw.indstate.edu.)
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