MALIBU, Calif. — Pepperdine women's tennis head coach Per Nilsson announced today that he is stepping down to become the head women's coach at the University of Florida.
 
"It has been a dream to work at Pepperdine," Nilsson said. "Leaving this incredible place is nothing short of bittersweet. Words cannot express the gratitude and appreciation I have for this school, the program and, most importantly, the incredible individuals I have had the privilege to work with."
 
Nilsson, who was beginning his 11th season as the Pepperdine head women's tennis coach and 15th year overall in Malibu, departs Malibu with a 221-48 (.815) dual-match record, three Intercollegiate Tennis Association Regional Coach of the Year honors, and 10-consecutive NCAA Tournament berths — including a 2021 NCAA runner-up finish, two semifinal appearances and six quarterfinal berths.
 
"We are so grateful to Per for the tremendous impact he has had on the Pepperdine Women's Tennis program," Director of Athletics Tanner Gardner said. "He led our team to incredible heights, including two final four appearances, and he leaves behind a rich legacy. We wish him, Beth, and Reef the best in their next chapter."
 
During his tenure at the helm of the women's tennis program, Nilsson took the program to new heights. The Waves were ranked as high as #2 in the nation and never dipped below #22 in the ITA rankings, while Pepperdine never failed to reach the NCAA Tournament.
 
"I am grateful for the support and encouragement I have received from President Jim Gash and former Athletics Director, Steve Potts," Nilsson said. "It has been unparalleled. The entire athletics department from staff to coaches and, of course, the players all played a vital role in our successes. Under the leadership of visionary President Gash and the strong guidance of our new athletic director Tanner Gardner, Pepperdine has many incredible things in store. It is hard to walk away from all they have planned. This decision was excruciatingly difficult. I am not just leaving a job, I am leaving family and a piece of my heart will always remain in Malibu. Thank you, Pepperdine, for everything."
 
Along the way, Nilsson helped 10 different players earn All-American honors a total of 20 times. Several players went on to become some of the best players in the world, most notably top-100 singles player Mayar Sherif and top-10 doubles player Luisa Stefani, both of whom are the first multi-time Olympians in Pepperdine women's tennis history.
 
Under Nilsson's direction, Ashley Lahey put together a decorated college career that included a 2018 NCAA Singles Runner-up finish, a 2020 ITA National Senior Player of the Year award and a #1 women's singles ranking — all of which were firsts for Pepperdine. Most recently in 2024, Nilsson coached Savannah Broadus and Janice Tjen to the program's first NCAA Doubles Championship appearance after the duo was the nation's top doubles team in back-to-back seasons.
 
Pepperdine won every possible West Coast Conference title during his tenure, which included eight regular-season titles and eight tournament championships. The Waves have won the last 78 regular-season dual matches against WCC competitors. As a result, Nilsson won six West Coast Conference Coach of the Year awards and seven different Waves earned WCC Player of the Year honors.
 
Before becoming Pepperdine's women's coach, Nilsson served as an assistant coach on Pepperdine's men's team under Adam Steinberg from 2003-07. He helped the Waves go 119-38 in those five seasons and win the 2006 national championship. From there, he was the men's tennis head coach at his alma mater, Mississippi State, from 2008-14 before returning to Malibu in 2014.
 
A national search for Pepperdine's next women's tennis coach begins immediately. In addition to continuing to serve as the head coach of the Pepperdine Men's Tennis program, Adam Schaechterle will serve as the interim head coach for Pepperdine Women's Tennis, leading the team alongside assistant coaches Ben Beekman and Ben Goldberg. 
 
"I am proud of the great success of Pepperdine Women's Tennis over the years, and I am committed to ensuring the program thrives in the future. We are fortunate to have a strong foundation to build upon with some of the best facilities in the country and a great support structure around the program," Tanner Gardner said. "With the support of President Gash and Tim Perrin, I am confident we will identify a championship coach who builds on our past success and enthusiastically leads our program and student-athletes to thrive in the new age of college athletics."