Michigan State University Athletics
Bauer Resigns, Accepts Tennis Position With Eau Gallie Yacht Club
2/9/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Tennis
Feb. 9, 2006
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State Athletics Director Ron Mason announced Thursday, Feb. 9 the resignation of women's tennis coach Tim Bauer, effective in mid-March. Bauer has accepted a position as the director of tennis at the Eau Gallie Yacht Club in Indian Harbour Beach, Fla.
"Tim has been given an opportunity in Florida, and we would like to show our appreciation for the time, effort, and energy that he put into the program while he was here," noted Mason. "We wish Tim and his family the best in the future."
"This is a bittersweet opportunity for me because I'm leaving the best team that I've had during my tenure at Michigan State," Bauer said. "I apologize for the timing of my resignation, but I couldn't pass up this awesome opportunity. My preference would have been to resign at the conclusion of the outdoor season, but the facility was on a tight hiring schedule. The club simply made me an offer that I couldn't refuse. I have a newborn son and family in Florida, so this is a homecoming of sorts for me.
"I want to thank everyone here at Michigan State who has helped me build the women's tennis program. It has been a rewarding experience."
Bauer began his tenure at MSU in January of 2000, taking the reins of the Spartan program after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant coach at Florida State. In his time in East Lansing, he guided the Spartans to an overall mark of 52-87, which included a record of 7-53 in Big Ten play. This year, MSU had started the season with a 6-2 record, with a five-match winning streak snapped last Saturday with a 4-3 loss to Louisville before rebounding for an impressive 7-0 victory over Toledo.
Last year, Bauer led the Spartans to one of its best starts in school history after compiling a 10-2 record at the start of the Big Ten season. That record also includes a seven-match winning-streak and a 9-2 record at home, finishing the season 11-12. Last year, the Spartans also saw their first national ranking since 2003 when they broke into the ITA's top 75 teams on March 21, 2005. MSU reached as high as No. 62 in the ITA rankings - tying the school's highest spot in the national poll.
The former Spartan coach is a 1993 graduate of Furman where he was a member of four Southern Conference Championship teams. A three-time Academic All-Southern Conference selection, he earned a degree in health and exercise science from the school.
A native of Long Island, N.Y., Bauer did his post-graduate work at Florida where he earned a master's degree in exercise and sport science in 1995. While at Florida, Bauer was a sport science instructor in the College of Health and Human Performance.
Since 1992, Bauer has been a professional tennis coach, working with players on the ATP and WTA tours. His work in the professional ranks has taken him to such Grand Slam events as Wimbledon, the French Open and five U.S. Opens.
Bauer continues to be active in coaching elite juniors as well as coaching at USTA Area Training Centers for the USTA's top ranked juniors. He has also served as a professional coach and consultant to several pro players formerly ranked in the top 100, including WTA players Patricia Hy-Boulais (Canadian No. 1, WTA No. 28), Katarzyna Nowak (Polish No. 1, WTA No. 65), Li Fang (Chinese No. 1, WTA No. 35) and Grant Stafford (ATP No. 78).
Bauer's expertise in sports science and sports psychology makes him a highly sought after speaker on such topics as Eastern bloc sport science, elite athletic performance and talent detection and training. He also consults with elite amateur and professional athletes in other sports on performance issues concerning sport psychology and exercise physiology.
