TEMPE, ARIZ. – Head coach
Adam Schaechterle and assistant coach
Tassilo Schmid of the Pepperdine men's tennis program were named the ITA Southwest Region Head and Assistant Coaches of the Year, the association announced on Monday.
Schaechterle joins the ranks of previous Regional Coaches of the Year winners Peter Smith in 2002 and Adam Steinberg in 2006 and 2012.
Schmid follows previous assistant coaches
Per Nilsson, who won the award as the men's assistant in 2005, as well as Nick Carless in 2009 and Jason Cook in 2013.
After a record-setting year righting the program back on its tracks, Schaechterle and Schmid led the Waves to a 16-7 season, coaching the team to exciting wins and its first berth to the NCAA Tournament since 2015.
In route to the tournament, Pepperdine beat the likes of #14 Oklahoma State and #8 USC before dominating the West Coast Conference. The Waves went 8-0 in league play, finishing atop the WCC for the first time since 2013.
QUOTEABLE:
"Adam [Schaechterle] is one of the best coaches and leaders in this industry," Schmid said.
"I am very fortunate that I can learn from someone like him day in and day out. I'd also like to give credit to our guys that have trusted us from the beginning. We have made such great progress at Pepperdine and I am looking forward to this coming season."
"I'm thrilled for Tassy. He does so much work behind the scenes, sacrificing for our players," Schaechterle said.
"I have felt for the last year that he's developed into one of the best assistant coaches in the country, so I'm grateful he is receiving this recognition."
