TEMPE, Ariz. - After earning the ITA/Dunlop NAIA East Regional Women's Coach of the Year award earlier this month, Goshen College Director of Tennis, Jon Bemisderfer, was named the ITA/Dunlop NAIA Women's Coach of the Year award winner at the national level last week.

Bemisderfer guided the women's tennis program to more wins than the previous season in each of his first three years as head coach, and the team finished his third year with its strongest record yet. The Leafs had a 5-15 record in his first year and a 7-13 mark in year two. They were 3-5 in Crossroads League play each year. This season, however, the Maple Leafs finished 16-8 and went 8-1 in conference play in the regular season. They advanced to the Crossroads League Championship and competed in the NAIA National Championships for the first time in program history. They won their first round matchup against Holy Cross College in a thrilling contest and advanced to be one of the final 16 teams by playing in the second round. The Leafs ended the season ranked #13 in the ITA NAIA Team Rankings.

The ITA/Dunlop Coach of the Year award honors a coach who has exhibited outstanding leadership in ways that contribute to on and off-court team performance.