Suresh Ramamurthi completed his 16th season as head coach of the Kutztown University men's and women's tennis programs in 2014-15.
Ramamurthi amassed a 219-75 dual-meet record on the men’s side and a 117-146 record on the women's side.
MEN
Under Ramamurthi’s guidance, the Golden Bear men won 11 of his last 14 PSAC Championships (2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013). The team appeared in 11 consecutive NCAA East Regional qualifiers, winning five in a row from 2002-06 to advance to the NCAA Championship round of 16.
2014 marked Kutztown's 14th appearance in the NCAA Division II Championship Tournament. The Golden Bears are 18-14 overall in the NCAA Tournament since making their first appearance in 1998. KU has advanced to the Sweet 16 five times since 2004, with the most recent coming in the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
In 2012-13, the men won the PSAC championship for the 11th time in school history and the fourth time in five years. In 2010-11, Ramamurthi led the Golden Bear men to a third straight PSAC regular season title and won the PSAC Championship. KU advanced to the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament for the third straight season.
In 2009-10, Kutztown won its second consecutive NCAA Division II Atlantic Region title and made its third trip in five years to the NCAA Championship.
In the 2008-09 season the Golden Bear men were first place in the PSAC regular season and won the PSAC Championship. The men won the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional and made a trip back to the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2006. Ramamurthi was named the PSAC Coach of the Year.
Ramamurthi led the 2007-08 men's team to a second-place finish at the PSAC meet. In the fall, two of his men battled for the PSAC individual title and the same two players teamed to win the doubles title.
In the 2006-07 season, the men’s team won its fourth straight PSAC Championship and competed at the Division II East Regionals. The Golden Bears finished 11-3 with a perfect 4-0 record in the PSAC. Six athletes earned All-PSAC honors, including the PSAC Rookie of the Year. Ramamurthi was named the PSAC Coach of the Year.
In 2002, Ramamurthi was named the PSAC and NCAA Division II East Region Coach of the Year.
WOMEN
In 2013-14, Kutztown qualified for the postseason for the third consecutive year. Ramamurthi coached two All-PSAC players including the PSAC Athlete of the Year (Hannah Pipkin). In 2012-13, the women earned its first PSAC Eastern Division title in school history with its 6-0 conference record. The perfect record was also a first-time occurrence for the Kutztown women's tennis program.
Ramamurthi coached the Golden Bears to a second place finish in the PSAC East in the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. KU finished the 2006-07 season with a 3-4 mark, including a 2-2 mark in the PSAC East. In 2005-06, KU won an NCAA East Regional qualifier for the second-straight year to advance to the NCAA Championship round of 16. Four players earned All-PSAC East honors, as well as the PSAC East Athlete and Rookie of the Year awards.
The team competed in the NCAA East Regionals from 2004-06, advancing to the NCAA Championships in 2005 and 2006, and compiling winning records for the first time since 1997-98.
Ramamurthi amassed more than 20 years of experience before coming to Kutztown for his first collegiate coaching position. He served five years as director of tennis and head professional at the Talamore Golf & Country Club in Ambler, Pa. He also served as director of tennis at the Willow Grove Racquet Club, the Upper Dublin Racquet Club, the Indian Falls Swim & Tennis Club (Wayne, Pa.), and the Gulph Mills Racquet Club (King of Prussia, Pa.).
Previously, Ramamurthi had been the director of tennis at the Chester Valley Golf Club (Malvern, Pa.) and the St. Albans Tennis Club (Newtown Square, Pa.).
He has coached all levels of players, from children to adults. He coached top collegiate athletes, including David DiLucia, the top ranked NCAA Division I player in 1992, on the ATP Tour. Ramamurthi also coached Lisa Raymond, who has been ranked in the top 25 on the WTA tour.
A 1983 graduate of the University of Poona, in Maharashtra, India, with a master’s degree in commerce, Ramamurthi was a four-year member of the varsity tennis team. He represented Poona at the Indian National Championships twice.
Ramamurthi recently concluded a three-year term as chairman of the NCAA East Region Tennis Committee.
