Teaneck, NJ -- Following one of the most successful seasons in program history with the Fairleigh Dickinson men’s and women’s tennis teams making the NCAA Tournament, Assistant Coach Jonathan Buchman has been chosen to lead the program as Director of Athletics David Langford named Buchman head coach on Thursday.
“Jonathan is an experienced coach who understands the business of college athletics,” Langford said. “Already as an assistant coach, he has helped the men’s and women’s tennis teams improve their mental approach to the sport.”
Buchman served as Assistant Coach under FDU Hall of Famer Ira Miller during the 2011-12 season and helped guide the Knights to men’s and women’s Northeast Conference Championships, becoming the first school to hold both titles since 2006.
"I am thankful to David Langford for this opportunity and for the overwhelming support I have received from his staff and the players,” Buchman said. “I look forward to building on last year's success, both on-court and off, and continuing my work with this great group of student-athletes."
The 2011-12 men’s team finished with an overall season record of 15–9, and a 4-0 mark in Northeast Conference play. The season ended at the NCAA Tournament with a loss to eventual runner-up University of Virginia. Four FDU singles players and two doubles teams were named First Team All-NEC, including the NEC Rookie and Player of the Year Arvis Berzins. The men’s team received the Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team Award with a team grade point average of 3.580 and nine of their 10 players earned the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete Award.
In his first season working with the women’s team, Buchman helped coach the Knights to a 16–8 record, which included an NEC title and their first appearance in the ECAC Championships and NCAA Tournament. Their season ended at the NCAA’s with a loss to #14 seed University of Virginia. Five FDU singles players and one doubles team were named First Team All-NEC, including Player of the Year Anna Rapoport. The women’s team also received the Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team Award with a grade point average of 3.722 and every member of the team earned the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete Award.
Buchman has served as USTA Eastern Zone coach at Nationals, Director of the High Performance Program at Ridgefield Tennis Club and coach of the Ridgefield Boy’s Varsity High School Team in Ridgefield, Conn. He has been Director of Competitive Training at the Four Seasons Racquet Club in Wilton, Conn., Senior Teaching Professional at Ivan Lendl’s Grand Slam Tennis Club in Bedford, N.Y., Head of Tennis Instruction at New England Tennis Camp in Pawling, N.Y. and Assistant Director of the Adidas Tennis Camp in Mahwah, N.J.
He is a certified teaching professional by both the United States Professional Tennis Association and the Professional Tennis Registry. Buchman has been featured in industry publications such as Tennis Magazine (July/August 2012), published instructional articles and videos and is highly regarded as a top teaching professional and coach.
Buchman grew up in New York playing tennis in the USTA/Eastern Section. He attended the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Fla. before graduating in 1984 from Trinity-Pawling High School in Pawling, N.Y. where he was a varsity tennis player and captain. He graduated in 1988 from Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. where his play was limited by injuries. He enjoyed a successful career in commercial real estate brokerage as Senior Director with Cushman & Wakefield in New York before returning his attention back to tennis. He currently resides in Westchester County, N.Y. with his wife and their two children.