Eastern Michigan Athletics
Schram Named Eastern Michigan Tennis Head Coach
7/6/2022 2:00:00 PM | Tennis
The Zanesville, Ohio native has a career record of 120-49 in nine seasons as a head coach
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern Michigan University Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee announced the hiring of Steve Schram as head coach of the tennis program today, July 6. A highly-accomplished program leader with a 120-49 career record in nine seasons as a women's tennis head coach, Schram departs a University of Southern Mississippi program he led to a 44-14 mark in four seasons.
"Steve is very well respected throughout the sport for his knowledge, and our student-athletes will benefit from that experience," said Wetherbee. "He has demonstrated the commitment to student-athlete development, recruiting, and winning that we value. It was clear when members of our staff team met with him that he will be a great fit at EMU."
Schram has been the head coach at three previous schools, posting an all-time winning percentage of .710. He was selected as the 2015 ITA South Region Coach of the Year, and helped Barry University capture the 2017 and 2018 Division II National Championship.
"I would like to thank Scott Wetherbee, Stacie McMullen, Erin Kido, and the entire athletics department for selecting me to be the next head women's tennis coach," Schram added. "I am very grateful for this tremendous opportunity and cannot wait to get started! EMU is a very special place and the culture that has been established in the athletics department is truly amazing. The support and camaraderie will play a big role in achieving program goals both on and off the court; and the support and camaraderie will help ensure that each member of the tennis team will have the most positive student-athlete experience during their time as an Eagle."
Beyond the stellar duel record in Hattiesburg, Schram helped Southern Miss go an undefeated 30-0 at home with triumphs over UAB, Louisiana Tech, and the first time in program history defeating South Alabama. The program also battled toe-to-toe with other national-powers in the region, including taking the double-point against Mississippi State.
In 2021-22, Schram helped the Golden Eagles to a 13-5 overall mark and 2-1 record in Conference USA action. USM finished the season ranked eighth in the Southern Region, the second-best tally in program history. Ebru Zeynep Yazgan was selected to the C-USA All Singles Second-Team after compiling a 7-4 record in singles competition. Overall, he helped the Golden Eagles notch an undefeated, 8-0 record inside the Southern Miss Tennis Complex as the squad extended its undefeated home streak to 30-straight matches.
The 2020-21 squad went 8-3 overall, including a 3-1 C-USA record in the regular season. It marked the program's most league wins since 2013. Katia de la Garza (second-team singles, doubles) and freshman Suhana Das (second-team doubles) earned all-conference recognition, marking Southern Miss' first instance with multiple honorees since 2017. De la Garza finished her career 15-2 in doubles over her final two years, both with freshmen partners. Sarah Medik also earned All-Academic accolades from the league. Southern Miss also defeated NCAA regular and perennial Sun Belt favorite South Alabama for the first time in school history. Additionally, the team ranked 76th nationally in the final ITA rankings.
Overall, Schram's club finished the season ranked seventh in the Southern Region which was the highest regional ranking in program history. The five of the teams ranked ahead of Southern Miss were from the Southeastern Conference.
The 2019-20 team raced to an 11-1 start before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the season, and it would have been the team's best record in program history. Medik was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team, and four Golden Eagles were named ITA Scholar-Athletes while the team earned an award for a 3.389 GPA. Ebru Zeynep Yazgan also earned Player of the Week honors during the year. Tjasa Jerse was also a C-USA Academic honoree during the 2019 season.
Schram was previously an assistant coach at Barry, hired in August 2016, and over the course of his tenure was responsible for on-court coaching, player development, recruiting and administrative duties.
In 2017-18, Schram helped coach Barry to its second straight NCAA Division II national championship after claiming the South Region, Sunshine State Conference Tournament, and regular-season titles. The Buccaneers went 28-0 to extend their winning streak to 58 consecutive matches. Barry beat West Florida, 5-0, in Surprise, Ariz., to capture the national title. Sonja Larsen and Verena Schmid earned All-American honors and finished the season as the top-ranked doubles team.
Schram was named the 2018 NCAA Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year, in addition to taking home the South Region Assistant Coach of the Year honor for the second straight season.
In his first season with the Buccaneers, Schram helped coach Barry to a 30-0 record and the national championship, defeating Lynn, 5-0. The women's tennis team became the first at the school to win 30-plus matches and go unbeaten for the national title after the men went 29-0 and earned a ring in 2013. Schram coached four All-Americans in 2016-17, including Ana Pain, Sonja Larsen, Zuza Maciejewska, and Dasha Salnikova.
Schram spent three years as Nova Southeastern University's head coach. He guided the Sharks to a 46-19 record in three seasons. He coached three All-Americans, 12 Scholar All-Americans, and nine All-Sunshine State Conference selections.
He took the program to new heights in his second season, leading them to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009. He was named ITA South Region Coach of the Year, leading the team to as high as a No. 4 national ranking and a final vote of No. 7. They won their first 16 matches of the spring season, and finished with an overall record of 18-3, finishing second in the conference with a 7-1 mark.
The Sharks had wins at No. 3 Saint Leo, at home over No. 5 Lynn, and against six other nationally-ranked teams. They reeled in seven all-SSC nods, a First Team All-American member in Sabrina Kierberg, and had two singles players and a doubles combination slotted in the final national rankings.
Schram had already made an immediate impact during his debut campaign, as the Sharks went 13-11 overall with three conference wins. With virtually the same team from the previous season, he helped the Sharks make a five-win improvement from 2013 to 2014.
NSU began the 2014 season with a big win over No. 15 Florida Tech and would go on to earn victories against strong teams such as No. 22 Tampa, Grand Valley State, and Delta State. At the season's end, six individuals finished the season with a winning record in singles play, a huge improvement from the previous season.
Additionally, Schram coached Klaudia Boczova, the No. 2 ranked singles player in the nation at the Division II level in 2015-16. She recorded an unbeaten mark of 14-0 in No. 1 singles with multiple wins over nationally ranked players. Boczova was also the sixth best doubles alongside Sabrina Kierberg while picking up All-American accolades,
Prior to Nova Southeastern, Schram spent two seasons as the head women's coach at fellow Division II member Limestone College. With limited resources, he managed to turn around a program with only three wins combined the two seasons prior to his arrival, to a team that was regularly in contention for the Conference of the Carolinas title the next two. In 2013, he guided the program to a 16-win season matching the most wins in a single season since 2008. He finished his tenure with the Saints compiling a 30-16 (.652 win percentage) overall record and a 17-5 (.773 win percentage) conference record while coaching both first-team and third-team All-Conference selections in his final season.
He added the title of head men's and women's tennis coach in July 2013 because of the progress and achievements of the women's team.
Prior to Limestone, Schram spent five years at the Division I level as an assistant coach for men's and women's tennis while holding three separate posts. For three years, he served as the top assistant for both the men and women at Bucknell University where he served all aspects of the program including fundraising and recruiting coordinator. During his time in Lewisburg, Pa., he helped the Bison women's tennis program to runner-up finishes in the Patriot League in 2009 and 2010. Those same years he coached the league's Female Rookie of the Year (2009) and Player of the Year (2010).
Before working with the Bison, Schram spent a single season each at Radford (2007-08) and Wofford (2006-07). At both institutions, he worked in all aspects of the programs but most notably helped coach the Wofford men's team to program-record victories against Division I opponents during the 2007 season.
As a college tennis player, he began his career at the University of Charleston (W. Va.) in 2001-02. After playing one season at the top of the lineup for the Golden Eagles, Schram transferred to Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Fla., then a DII member. During his time at FGCU, he lettered in each of his three seasons and helped the Eagles to a No. 9 national ranking in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll in 2005, and was named Most Improved in 2003.
Schram earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2006 and earned a master's of education degree in transformation leadership from Aspen University in 2012.
"Steve is very well respected throughout the sport for his knowledge, and our student-athletes will benefit from that experience," said Wetherbee. "He has demonstrated the commitment to student-athlete development, recruiting, and winning that we value. It was clear when members of our staff team met with him that he will be a great fit at EMU."
Schram has been the head coach at three previous schools, posting an all-time winning percentage of .710. He was selected as the 2015 ITA South Region Coach of the Year, and helped Barry University capture the 2017 and 2018 Division II National Championship.
"I would like to thank Scott Wetherbee, Stacie McMullen, Erin Kido, and the entire athletics department for selecting me to be the next head women's tennis coach," Schram added. "I am very grateful for this tremendous opportunity and cannot wait to get started! EMU is a very special place and the culture that has been established in the athletics department is truly amazing. The support and camaraderie will play a big role in achieving program goals both on and off the court; and the support and camaraderie will help ensure that each member of the tennis team will have the most positive student-athlete experience during their time as an Eagle."
Beyond the stellar duel record in Hattiesburg, Schram helped Southern Miss go an undefeated 30-0 at home with triumphs over UAB, Louisiana Tech, and the first time in program history defeating South Alabama. The program also battled toe-to-toe with other national-powers in the region, including taking the double-point against Mississippi State.
In 2021-22, Schram helped the Golden Eagles to a 13-5 overall mark and 2-1 record in Conference USA action. USM finished the season ranked eighth in the Southern Region, the second-best tally in program history. Ebru Zeynep Yazgan was selected to the C-USA All Singles Second-Team after compiling a 7-4 record in singles competition. Overall, he helped the Golden Eagles notch an undefeated, 8-0 record inside the Southern Miss Tennis Complex as the squad extended its undefeated home streak to 30-straight matches.
The 2020-21 squad went 8-3 overall, including a 3-1 C-USA record in the regular season. It marked the program's most league wins since 2013. Katia de la Garza (second-team singles, doubles) and freshman Suhana Das (second-team doubles) earned all-conference recognition, marking Southern Miss' first instance with multiple honorees since 2017. De la Garza finished her career 15-2 in doubles over her final two years, both with freshmen partners. Sarah Medik also earned All-Academic accolades from the league. Southern Miss also defeated NCAA regular and perennial Sun Belt favorite South Alabama for the first time in school history. Additionally, the team ranked 76th nationally in the final ITA rankings.
Overall, Schram's club finished the season ranked seventh in the Southern Region which was the highest regional ranking in program history. The five of the teams ranked ahead of Southern Miss were from the Southeastern Conference.
The 2019-20 team raced to an 11-1 start before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the season, and it would have been the team's best record in program history. Medik was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team, and four Golden Eagles were named ITA Scholar-Athletes while the team earned an award for a 3.389 GPA. Ebru Zeynep Yazgan also earned Player of the Week honors during the year. Tjasa Jerse was also a C-USA Academic honoree during the 2019 season.
Schram was previously an assistant coach at Barry, hired in August 2016, and over the course of his tenure was responsible for on-court coaching, player development, recruiting and administrative duties.
In 2017-18, Schram helped coach Barry to its second straight NCAA Division II national championship after claiming the South Region, Sunshine State Conference Tournament, and regular-season titles. The Buccaneers went 28-0 to extend their winning streak to 58 consecutive matches. Barry beat West Florida, 5-0, in Surprise, Ariz., to capture the national title. Sonja Larsen and Verena Schmid earned All-American honors and finished the season as the top-ranked doubles team.
Schram was named the 2018 NCAA Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year, in addition to taking home the South Region Assistant Coach of the Year honor for the second straight season.
In his first season with the Buccaneers, Schram helped coach Barry to a 30-0 record and the national championship, defeating Lynn, 5-0. The women's tennis team became the first at the school to win 30-plus matches and go unbeaten for the national title after the men went 29-0 and earned a ring in 2013. Schram coached four All-Americans in 2016-17, including Ana Pain, Sonja Larsen, Zuza Maciejewska, and Dasha Salnikova.
Schram spent three years as Nova Southeastern University's head coach. He guided the Sharks to a 46-19 record in three seasons. He coached three All-Americans, 12 Scholar All-Americans, and nine All-Sunshine State Conference selections.
He took the program to new heights in his second season, leading them to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009. He was named ITA South Region Coach of the Year, leading the team to as high as a No. 4 national ranking and a final vote of No. 7. They won their first 16 matches of the spring season, and finished with an overall record of 18-3, finishing second in the conference with a 7-1 mark.
The Sharks had wins at No. 3 Saint Leo, at home over No. 5 Lynn, and against six other nationally-ranked teams. They reeled in seven all-SSC nods, a First Team All-American member in Sabrina Kierberg, and had two singles players and a doubles combination slotted in the final national rankings.
Schram had already made an immediate impact during his debut campaign, as the Sharks went 13-11 overall with three conference wins. With virtually the same team from the previous season, he helped the Sharks make a five-win improvement from 2013 to 2014.
NSU began the 2014 season with a big win over No. 15 Florida Tech and would go on to earn victories against strong teams such as No. 22 Tampa, Grand Valley State, and Delta State. At the season's end, six individuals finished the season with a winning record in singles play, a huge improvement from the previous season.
Additionally, Schram coached Klaudia Boczova, the No. 2 ranked singles player in the nation at the Division II level in 2015-16. She recorded an unbeaten mark of 14-0 in No. 1 singles with multiple wins over nationally ranked players. Boczova was also the sixth best doubles alongside Sabrina Kierberg while picking up All-American accolades,
Prior to Nova Southeastern, Schram spent two seasons as the head women's coach at fellow Division II member Limestone College. With limited resources, he managed to turn around a program with only three wins combined the two seasons prior to his arrival, to a team that was regularly in contention for the Conference of the Carolinas title the next two. In 2013, he guided the program to a 16-win season matching the most wins in a single season since 2008. He finished his tenure with the Saints compiling a 30-16 (.652 win percentage) overall record and a 17-5 (.773 win percentage) conference record while coaching both first-team and third-team All-Conference selections in his final season.
He added the title of head men's and women's tennis coach in July 2013 because of the progress and achievements of the women's team.
Prior to Limestone, Schram spent five years at the Division I level as an assistant coach for men's and women's tennis while holding three separate posts. For three years, he served as the top assistant for both the men and women at Bucknell University where he served all aspects of the program including fundraising and recruiting coordinator. During his time in Lewisburg, Pa., he helped the Bison women's tennis program to runner-up finishes in the Patriot League in 2009 and 2010. Those same years he coached the league's Female Rookie of the Year (2009) and Player of the Year (2010).
Before working with the Bison, Schram spent a single season each at Radford (2007-08) and Wofford (2006-07). At both institutions, he worked in all aspects of the programs but most notably helped coach the Wofford men's team to program-record victories against Division I opponents during the 2007 season.
As a college tennis player, he began his career at the University of Charleston (W. Va.) in 2001-02. After playing one season at the top of the lineup for the Golden Eagles, Schram transferred to Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Fla., then a DII member. During his time at FGCU, he lettered in each of his three seasons and helped the Eagles to a No. 9 national ranking in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll in 2005, and was named Most Improved in 2003.
Schram earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2006 and earned a master's of education degree in transformation leadership from Aspen University in 2012.
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