Brenda Vlasak is entering a new chapter in her career at Northern Colorado for 2010. She was recently named the Director of Tennis and will still act as the head coach of the women’s team in her ninth year at the University of Northern Colorado.

In 2004-05 after two seasons as an assistant coach, Vlasak was tabbed the women’s head coach, becoming just the second head coach in the program’s history. She added head coaching duties of the men’s team for the 2005-06 season and relinquishes that role to Tim Bearman this year.

While coaching for Northern Colorado, the Bears have had five Big Sky All-Conference selections and 25 Big Sky All-Academic picks since joining the league in 2006-07. The women’s team has also advanced to the Big Sky Championship in both 2008 and 2009, tying for third place in 2009 with a 1-1 record.

Prior to joining the Big Sky, Vlasak led the women’s team to the 2004-05 Independent Championship title, which helped her win Division I Independent Coach of the Year honors.

Vlasak spent two years playing at Tyler Junior College, helping the team to a pair of NJCAA titles in 1998 and 1999 at number one singles. As a sophomore, she tallied a 34-5 singles record and a mark of 35-5 in doubles.

Her final two seasons were spent at the University of Arkansas, where she played number two singles and number one doubles. Vlasak was named to the SEC All-Academic team and was ranked among the top 100 according to the ITA.

For her efforts both off and on the court, Vlasak was inducted into the Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame on Jan. 28, 2011, one of four inductees in the 2010 Class.

Vlasak graduated from Arkansas with a degree in kinesiology in 2002. She earned her master’s degree in sport administration from Northern Colorado in 2004.

Vlasak with former player and current assistant coach Hannah LaForest
at Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame induction (Jan. 28, 2011).