Through seven seasons as the Carl H. Meinig ’31 Head Coach of Women’s Tennis at Cornell University, Mike Stevens has taken the program to new heights. Already the program's all-time leader in career victories heading into the 2016-17 season, Stevens led the Big Red to its first-ever Ivy League title while being named the Ivy League Coach of the Year.
Having helped guide the Big Red to a new record for victories in a season twice already, Stevens' most recent team matched that 15-win total in earning a share of the Ancient Eight crown and a national ranking of 49th at season's end.
Under Stevens' tutelage, Marika Cusick '17 was unanimously selected as the Ivy League Player of the Year — a first for a Cornellian in 21 years. Cusick was also named the ITA Northeast Region's Most Improved Player. Alexandra D'Ascenzo '17 was also named to the All-Ivy League second team for singles.
The program's ascension was steady. Without any seniors on its roster for the 2014-15 season, the Big Red was able to post a three-win improvement in its league record from the previous season — which was the program's biggest Ivy jump from one season to the next since 1994. Cornell finished in a tie for second place in the Ivy League in 2016, winning four league matches for the first time since 1996.
Stevens came to East Hill after an exceptional seven-year run at Binghamton University. Over his seven years at the helm, he led the Bearcats to a 91-39 dual match record, was named the America East Coach of the Year four times (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010) and finished the season as the conference tournament runner-up five times (2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010). He coached the 2005 and 2007 America East Player of the Year (Zeynep Altinay) and the 2006 and 2008 conference Rookies of the Year (Juliana Umeki and Anna Edelman, respectively), as well as the Bearcats’ first-ever Division I nationally-ranked singles player and doubles team. Last season, Binghamton was ranked as high as No. 68 in the ITA National Poll and finished the year ranked ninth in the ITA Northeast Region.
A talented recruiter, his 2007 and 2009 recruiting classes were nationally-ranked among the top mid-major programs in the nation by tennisrecruiting.net, including a No. 4 ranking for the 2007 class.
Stevens arrived at Binghamton from Southeast Missouri State, where he was the head coach during the 2002-03 season. During that year, the Redhawks went 8-11, quadrupling its win total in dual matches from the previous season and turning in the best campaign the program had in five years.
Prior to his arrival at Southeast Missouri State, Stevens was the assistant men's and women's tennis coach at N.C. State for one season (2001-2002) and was the women's assistant coach at Yale for two seasons (1999-2001). While at Yale, he was the acting head coach during the 2000 spring semester while the head coach was away on maternity leave. With the Bulldogs, Stevens led that team to a 15-6 record and a No. 61 ranking in the nation.
From 1990-94, Stevens was the head men's and women's tennis coach at Rider University. During his time there, he led his Bronc's men's teams to an overall record of 24-27, while his women's teams combined for a record of 17-32. In 1991, Stevensled the men to a third place finish in the NEC, and the following year, the women took second place in the conference.
After his time at Rider, Stevens was a Product Development Specialist for the Prince Sports Group in Bordentown, N.J. He then moved on to become the Director of Tennis Operations for the Currituck Club from 1994-96.
Stevens earned his bachelor's degree in business from the University of Richmond in 1987.
