Finding a replacement for outgoing men's tennis head coach, David Benjamin, was not an easy task. After all, Benjamin, who has been coaching the Tigers the last 26 years, has amassed a 346-154 record, seven Eastern Intercollegiate Tennis Association Championships and seven Eastern College Athletic Conference championships going into his final season. The search committee, however, seems to have hit an ace in hiring Glenn Michibata.
Michibata, a 37-year old from Toronto will assume the position of head coach starting July 1.
"The job is going to be pretty fun," Michibata said. "It's everything you'd want in a program."
Gary Walters '57, Director of Athletics, who announced Michi-bata's appointment March 13, is thrilled about the selection.
'Knowledge'
"Glenn is fantastic," Walters said. "We're all really delighted. He brings tremendous knowledge of the game."
Becoming accustomed to a new coach will be a challenge, especially since Benjamin has been such a mainstay for the men's tennis program.
"I think it will take some adjustment," junior Kyle Kliegerman said.
Easing this transition is the return of Jim Quagliana — the assistant coach of two years.
"One thing that will help our team is that our assistant coach, Jim Quagliana, has been asked to come back so that will be some continuity," sophomore Judson Williams said.
Another factor that will aid in the transition is the strong tennis background of the incoming coach.
"I feel a little like an outsider but I have a very strong tennis background," Michibata said.
Michibata has participated in just about every facet of tennis. Playing college tennis at Pepperdine University, he became a three-time All-America and four-year letter winner.
From 1983 to 1993, he played professional tennis, competing in both singles and doubles. Though highly talented in singles, achieving a ranking as high as No. 48 in the world, his strength lay in doubles. Michibata reached the doubles semifinals of both the Wimbledon and French Open in 1991 and the doubles finals of the Australian Open in 1990, impressive showings that helped him rise to a No. 1 ranking with his partner — Grant Connell — in 1991.
Michibata was also a 14-time player on the Canadian Davis Cup Team.
Following his professional career, Michibata became the director of tennis at the Whistler Racquet and Golf Resort in British Columbia for a year and a half.
New career
In 1995, Michibata switched to a career of coaching professional tennis. He trained the team of Daniel Nestor of Canada and Mark Knowles of the Bahamas for two years, helping the pair achieve a No. 4 ranking in the world.
After tackling professional coaching, Michibata changed gears again. This time he moved to college coaching.
For the last three years, he has coached USC — acting as the assistant to the women's program his first year and spending the next two years with the Trojan men.
In addition to compiling an amazing tennis resume, Michibata is likeable. Gary Walters jokes that he could not find one person to say something mean about the new coach.
Optimism
Further, Michibata already has everyone optimistic about next season.
"I think he's going to be a very good coach," freshman Trevor Smith said. "He obviously knows a lot about tennis."
"I'm just excited," Williams said. "Dave has been awesome for [my] two years but I think Glenn is going to come in and inspire us to play next year."
Michibata is also looking forward to next season.
"Obviously it's a big change," Michibata said. "All I want to do is run the best program I can run. I know we can compete with anybody in the top 20."
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