Matt Nielsen recently completed his 17th season in 2024-25 coaching the men's and women's tennis programs at the University of Rochester after being named head coach in 2008. Prior to being appointed head coach, he served as the assistant coach for both teams for five years.
In 17 years as head coach, Nielsen has coached the Yellowjackets to some of their greatest success in women’s program history. Rochester finished the 2009-10 season ranked #20 in the nation after finishing 4th at the UAA Championships, upsetting 14th-ranked Washington University in the first round. The Yellowjackets also received a national ranking during the 2010-11 campaign, finishing 5th in the conference. In 2016-17, UR returned to the national rankings, peaking as high as #35 in late April, and in 2024-25, the Yellowjackets again cracked the top-40, hitting #36 late in the spring campaign.
Under the tutelage of Nielsen, Rochester women have accounted for two ITA Northeast Regional singles titles, three New York State Division III championships, five ITA All-American awards and 19 All-UAA honors. In 2010, Frances Tseng earned both the UAA and ITA Northeast Regional Rookie of the Year Awards. Coach Nielsen has also had three players selected to compete in the NCAA Division III Singles Championships. Lia Weiner (2011) and Tseng (2012) both qualified for NCAA's and in 2021-22, first-year Josephine Libby was a nationals participant and won two matches, reaching the NCAA singles quarterfinals. Libby again reached the NCAA's as a sophomore in the 2022-23 season.
The Rochester men have also progressed under the leadership of Nielsen. Over the past 17 seasons, the Yellowjackets have been consistently ranked in the competitive Northeast Region, reaching a high of #10 and also earning a national ranking of #31 during the 2023-24 season. UR also was inside the top-35 in Division III in 2018-19.
Rochester doubles teams reached the semifinals of the ITA Northeast Regional Championships for three straight seasons from 2013-14 to 2016-17 and another did the same in 2019-20. UR has had 25 All-UAA selections during Nielsen's time leading the program, including Masaru Fujimaki and Pasquale Procaccino, who were both 1st Team All-UAA recipients at 1st singles.
Last season, UR's women finished 11-9 overall, with one highlight being that the team defeated Hamilton College for the first time since 2002. Rochester reached a Division III ranking as high as #36 and one singles player and one doubles team were ranked inside the top-6 in NCAA Region II, with UR securing three All-UAA accolades.
In 2024-25, the men ended 9-10 overall and saw three players combined for four All-UAA honors. Senior Krish Vennam received the UR Athletic Department's Peter DiPasquale Male Scholar-Athlete Award. Rochester had 13 combined wins by shutout 7-0 scores in men's and women's tennis.
Along with the strong performance on the court, the Yellowjackets have seen much success in the classroom under Nielsen. Since the 2008-09 season, 153 players have earned the ITA Scholar-Athlete Award and several others have been named to the UAA All-Academic Team. The women have earned the ITA All-Academic Team Award (average team GPA of 3.2 or above) every year, while the men have received the recognition 14 times under Nielsen. Krish Vennam was selected as a College Sports Communicators Academic All-American in 2024-25, the first AAA under Nielsen and only the sixth in team history.
In the spring of 2016, Nielsen earned recognition from the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) as the Northeast Region Coach of the Year. In 2020, he was the recipient of the Collegiate Award from the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Eastern Section which is given annually to a college team or coach for performance of community service and/or outstanding Tennis on campus contributions. Nielsen again was honored by the Racquet Sports Professionals Association (RSPA, formerly the USPTA) Eastern region as the organizations College Coach of the Year in 2025.
Nielsen's career record coaching the Rochester women is 145-140 (.509) while his men's teams have compiled a 148-166 mark (.471). Â He is second in Rochester tennis coaching history in both men's and women's victories.
Nielsen is a 2001 graduate of Penn State University with a baccalaureate degree in Kinesiology. During his time as a Nittany Lion, he played as high as 1st doubles and 2nd singles. He earned a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Rochester’s Simon Graduate School of Business in 2008.
The Rochester-area native was a nationally-recognized junior player. Nielsen earned a national ranking in the 14-, 16-, and 18-year old age groups, rising to his United States high ranking of #44. He was the 2002 Rochester District Singles Champion as well as a five-time men’s doubles and six-time mixed doubles district champion. Nielsen is a 1997 graduate of Honeoye Falls-Lima High School.
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| YEAR BY YEAR COACHING RECORD (MEN'S) |
|
|
OVERALL |
CONFERENCE |
|
| YEAR |
SCHOOL |
WIN |
LOSS |
WIN |
LOSS |
POSTSEASON |
| 2008-09 |
University of Rochester |
11 |
11 |
1 |
2 |
None |
| 2009-10 |
University of Rochester |
11 |
11 |
1 |
2 |
None |
| 2010-11 |
University of Rochester |
11 |
11 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2011-12 |
University of Rochester |
6 |
15 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2012-13 |
University of Rochester |
13 |
11 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2013-14 |
University of Rochester |
13 |
7 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2014-15 |
University of Rochester |
8 |
11 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2015-16 |
University of Rochester |
9 |
10 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2016-17 |
University of Rochester |
9 |
12 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2017-18 |
University of Rochester |
8 |
13 |
1 |
2 |
None |
| 2018-19 |
University of Rochester |
12 |
8 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2019-20 |
University of Rochester |
3 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
None |
| 2020-21 |
University of Rochester |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
None |
| 2021-22 |
University of Rochester |
7 |
9 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2022-23 |
University of Rochester |
7 |
11 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2023-24 |
University of Rochester |
9 |
7 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2024-25 |
University of Rochester |
9 |
10 |
0 |
3 |
None |
|
ROCHESTER TOTALS |
148 |
166 |
3 |
42 |
|
|
GRAND TOTALS |
148 |
166 |
3 |
42 |
|
|
PERCENT |
.471 |
.067 |
|
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| YEAR BY YEAR COACHING RECORD (WOMEN'S) |
|
|
OVERALL |
CONFERENCE |
|
| YEAR |
SCHOOL |
WIN |
LOSS |
WIN |
LOSS |
POSTSEASON |
| 2008-09 |
University of Rochester |
13 |
8 |
1 |
2 |
None |
| 2009-10 |
University of Rochester |
12 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
None |
| 2010-11 |
University of Rochester |
15 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
NCAA Individual Participant |
| 2011-12 |
University of Rochester |
9 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
NCAA Individual Participant |
| 2012-13 |
University of Rochester |
12 |
8 |
1 |
2 |
None |
| 2013-14 |
University of Rochester |
6 |
11 |
1 |
2 |
None |
| 2014-15 |
University of Rochester |
8 |
10 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2015-16 |
University of Rochester |
6 |
11 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2016-17 |
University of Rochester |
13 |
7 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2017-18 |
University of Rochester |
7 |
11 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2018-19 |
University of Rochester |
6 |
10 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2019-20 |
University of Rochester |
4 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
None |
| 2020-21 |
University of Rochester |
5 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
None |
| 2021-22 |
University of Rochester |
7 |
8 |
0 |
3 |
NCAA Individual Participant |
| 2022-23 |
University of Rochester |
6 |
13 |
0 |
3 |
NCAA Individual Participant |
| 2023-24 |
University of Rochester |
5 |
14 |
0 |
3 |
None |
| 2024-25 |
University of Rochester |
11 |
9 |
0 |
3 |
None |
|
ROCHESTER TOTALS |
145 |
140 |
7 |
38 |
|
|
GRAND TOTALS |
145 |
140 |
7 |
38 |
|
|
PERCENT |
.509 |
.156 |
|
(updated 6/2025)
