Ronni Bernstein - Women's Tennis Coach - University of Michigan Athletics

Ronni Bernstein

Title:
Women's Tennis Head Coach

Ronni Bernstein enters her 19th season as the head coach in 2025-26, guiding the Maize and Blue to 12 Big Ten championships, six Big Ten Tournament titles, 12 NCAA Sweet 16 appearances, four trips to the NCAA Quarterfinals (2016, 2023, 2024, 2025) and the program’s first Final Four (2025) during her tenure. Bernstein has achieved success at every level, as an All-American collegiate player, touring professional, private instructor and head coach.

In her 18 years at the helm in Ann Arbor, Bernstein has compiled a 182-8 record in Big Ten matches with nine perfect B1G seasons en route to 12 Big Ten crowns. The Wolverines won the 2015, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023 and 2024 Big Ten Tournament titles and have advanced to the championship match 17 times - every time the tournament has been contested during Bernstein's tenure. Bernstein is one of three coaches in Big Ten women's tennis history with at least 10 championships and holds the highest winning percentage among active conference coaches.

Bernstein has coached 11 Wolverines to 25 All-America honors, highlighted by 2017 NCAA Singles Champion Brienne Minor along with four-time All-American Kari Miller and three three-timers in Kate Fahey, Emina Bektas and Denise Muresan. Minor, the program's first four-time All-American, became the first Wolverine in program history to win a national title after winning six straight matches in the individual tournament. Minor and Fahey teamed up to reach the championship match of the 2019 NCAA Doubles tournament, the first pair in school history to make it that far.

On the conference level, Bernstein has coached five Athletes of the Year (Bektas, Muresan, Fahey, Miller, Julia Fliegner) and helped six Wolverines earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors (Mimi Nguyen, Brooke Bolender, Bektas, Ronit Yurovsky, Lily Jones and Emily Sartz-Lunde). Her Wolverines have 53 All-Big Ten citations over the last 18 seasons and 82 Academic All-Big Ten honors. She has been named the Big Ten Coach of the Year a record-10 times, most recently in 2025.

Michigan has advanced to the Round of 16 12 times in the last 18 seasons under Bernstein, highlighted by the program’s first Final Four appearance in 2025. U-M has reached the quarterfinals four times in 2016, 2023, 2024 and 2025. The Maize and Blue has hosted the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament 11 times under Bernstein and has a 34-17 record in NCAA matches.

Overall at U-M, Bernstein is the winningest coach in program history and the only one with at least 300 wins with a 386-104 record. Her .788 winning percentage is the highest in women's tennis history and her teams are 197-17 at the Varsity Tennis Center. She has strung together 13 20-win seasons, setting a new Michigan record with 29 wins in 2024.

Bernstein holds a remarkable 551-175 overall career record, good for a .759 winning percentage since she became a head coach in 1997. She reached the 500-win mark for her career with a 4-1 win over then-No. 8 ranked Florida at the Varsity Tennis Center on Feb. 6, 2024. Her teams have never finished below third in their respective conferences during her time as a head coach, with the Wolverines finishing first or second in all 18 of her seasons.

After losing three four-year stalwarts in the lineup, Michigan did not miss a beat in 2025 en route to the first semifinal appearance in the NCAA Tournament in program history. U-M leaned on player development to reach new heights, with Fliegner moving from No. 3 to No. 1, Piper Charney from No. 6 to No. 2 and Jones from No. 5 to No. 3. U-M went 13-0 in the expanded Big Ten, winning its third straight and 13th overall Big Ten championship. Fliegner was named the Big Ten Player of the Year, with Charney joining her on the first team. Sartz-Lunde took home Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, along with ITA Midwest Region Rookie of the Year laurels. Fliegner, who reached the semifinals of the NCAA Singles Championship, and Charney were each named ITA All-Americans in singles for the first times in their respective careers. Fliegner also earned CSC Academic All-America first-team recognition and was Michigan’s female recipient of the Big Ten Medal of Honor.

U-M hosted the first three rounds of the NCAA Tournament, shutting out Youngstown State and Arizona State in the first two rounds before outlasting Texas, 4-3, in the Round of 16 at the VTC. The Wolverines shut out No. 20-ranked Oklahoma State in their third straight quarterfinal appearance, advancing to the Final Four for the first time ever. U-M’s season came to an end at the hands of the defending national champions, falling to Texas A&M. Michigan finished the season ranked No. 3 as a team, the highest season-ending ranking in program history.

Michigan rewrote the record books during the 2023-24 season, winning a program-record 29 matches on the strength of a 21-match winning streak, sweeping the Big Ten conference titles for a second straight year and finishing runner-up at the 2024 ITA National Team Indoor Championship. Michigan peaked at No. 2 in the team rankings during the season - the highest ranking in program history. The Wolverines went 11-0 in the Big Ten for the second straight season, winning the Big Ten championship for the 11th time since 2010. Michigan hosted the 2024 Big Ten Tournament at the Varsity Tennis Center and captured its third-straight title in a 4-2 win over Ohio State in front of 650 fans. U-M made it to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Pepperdine to end its team season. The Maize and Blue finished the season ranked No. 5, the first top-five season-ending ranking in program history. Miller earned All-America honors in both singles and doubles while becoming the program's first Academic All-American with a first-team nod. She was also named the 2023-24 Michigan Female Athlete of the Year, the program's third honoree since 2017.

The Wolverines swept the conference crowns in 2022-23, going a perfect 11-0 during the regular season and winning their second-straight Big Ten Tournament title. Michigan reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history after hosting the first three rounds at the VTC. U-M was ranked as high as No. 3 during the season and finished with a season-ending ranking of No. 6. Jaedan Brown and Miller made a run to the quarters of the doubles tournament, with Miller reaching the quarterfinals of the singles tournament as the pair each picked up All-America honors. U-M had three players - Brown, Miller and Fliegner - earn All-Big Ten honors, with Jones being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

U-M won its first Big Ten championship under Bernstein in 2010, kicking off a run of six straight titles through 2015. With 12 championships during her time in Ann Arbor, Michigan has never gone more than two years without winning a conference crown. Michigan’s eight regular-season conference losses have only come at the hands of three different teams (Ohio State, Northwestern, Indiana), with U-M unbeaten against the remaining teams.

Bernstein arrived at Michigan after a decorated 10-year head-coaching career at Florida International University (Miami, Fla.) from 1997-2007. Bernstein compiled a career record of 165-71 (.699) as the leader of the Golden Panthers. She guided Florida International to the Sun Belt Conference tournament title in each of her final three seasons, and FIU earned a bid to the NCAA Championship in five of her final seven years.

The four-time Sun Belt Coach of the Year had her most successful campaign in 2000-01, when the Golden Panthers finished with a program-best 23-3 record and made their first-ever NCAA appearance. Florida International put together an 18-match winning streak during the year, and a 4-0 victory over Penn State in the opening round of the NCAA Championship gave the school its first-ever win at the national tournament. FIU knocked off 11-of-14 nationally-ranked opponents en route to its program-best No. 24 final national ranking.

Bernstein was a four-time ITA All-American in both singles and doubles during her illustrious collegiate career at the University of Miami (Fla.) from 1984-88. She was named the NCAA Senior Player of the Year in 1988 after reaching the finals in doubles and semifinals in singles at the national tournament. As a sophomore in 1985-86, Bernstein (then Reis) teamed with Lise Gregory to win both the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor and NCAA doubles titles en route to finishing the year with an undefeated record of 29-0. Bernstein compiled impressive career marks of 103-21 (.831) in singles and 89-11 (.890) in doubles while helping the Hurricanes consistently finish among the top five of the national rankings. Miami put together a combined record of 85-23 during Bernstein's career, earning a runner-up finish at the 1985 NCAA Championship before making a semifinal appearance at the national tournament in 1986

Among her other credits, Bernstein claimed the doubles gold medal at the 1985 Pan American Games, the doubles bronze medal at the 1986 Goodwill Games and was a triple gold medalist at the 1985 Maccabiah Games. She was also named by Tennis Magazine as a member of its Collegiate All-Star team in 1986, '87 and '88 and was selected to the USTA Federation Cup team those same years. In 2000, Bernstein was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame.

After receiving her bachelor's degree in business management from Miami in 1988, Bernstein played professionally on the WTA Tour for two years, achieving career-high world rankings of No. 30 in doubles and No. 78 in singles in 1989. That same year, she was named Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year for Domino's Team Tennis. Bernstein was also a two-time Virginia Slims of Puerto Rico doubles champion (1987, '89), a Virginia Slims of Aptos, Calif., doubles champion (1988) and a Virginia Slims of Wichita, Kan., singles semifinalist (1989) during her pro career.

Bernstein captured the 1984 Florida state singles championship as a senior at Miami Sunset Senior High School. She was also the 1984 USTA Florida State Closed singles champion and was ranked No. 1 in the state during her last year of juniors.

Bernstein and her husband, Morty, have three children, sons Max and Jake, and daughter Hannah.

Bachelor's Degree: Business Management
Family: Married, husband Morty; children Max, Jake, Hannah

Collegiate Coaching Experience: University of Michigan (Head Coach), 2007-present. Florida International University (Head Coach), 1997-2007. Florida International University (Associate Head Coach), 1996-97. Florida International University (Assistant Coach), 1995-96. Arizona State University (Assistant Coach), 1990-91.

Professional Playing Experience: WTA Tour, 1988-1990.

Collegiate Playing Experience: University of Miami (Fla.), 1984-88.

Collegiate Coaching Highlights
• Coached Michigan to 17 NCAA Championship appearances (2008-25, excluding the 2020 season due to COVID-19)
• Led U-M to its first-ever Final Four in 2025
• Has four NCAA Quarterfinals appearances (2016, 2023-25)
• Coached U-M to 12 Big Ten championships (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Helped Michigan to six Big Ten Tournament titles (2015, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024)
• Guided U-M to its highest-ever ranking (No. 2 in 2024) and highest year-end ranking (No. 3) in 2025
• 10-time Big Ten Coach of the Year (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
• Six-time ITA Midwest Region Coach of the Year (2010, 2011, 2015, 2022, 2023, 2025)
• Coached Big Ten Player of the Year (2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024, 2025) and Freshman of the Year (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2023, 2025)
• Coached 11 U-M players to 25 All-America honors
• Coached 25 U-M players to 53 all-conference honors
• Four-time Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year (2000, '05-07)
• Coached Florida International to three Sun Belt Conference tournament championships (2005-07)
• Coached Florida International to five NCAA Championship appearances (2001-02, '05-07)
• Coached two FIU NCAA singles qualifiers (2001, '05) and one FIU NCAA doubles qualifier (2006)
• Florida International's Presidential Excellence Award winner (2007)

Professional Playing Highlights
• Achieved career-high WTA world rankings of No. 30 in doubles (1989) and No. 78 in singles (1989)
• Domino's Team Tennis Player of the Year (1989)
• Domino's Team Tennis Rookie of the Year (1989)
• Two-time Virginia Slims of Puerto Rico doubles champion (1987, '89)
• Virginia Slims of Aptos, Calif., doubles champion (1988)
• Virginia Slims of Wichita, Kan., singles semifinalist (1989)

Collegiate Playing Highlights
• NCAA Senior Player of the Year (1988)
• Four-time ITA All-American in singles and doubles (1985-88)
• NCAA doubles champion (1986)
• NCAA doubles finalist and singles semifinalist (1988)
• ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor doubles champion (1986)
• Compiled career records of 103-21 (.831) in singles and 89-11 (.890) in doubles
• Three-time Tennis Magazine Collegiate All-Star (1985-87)
• Three-time USTA Junior Federation Cup team member (1985-87)
• Pan American Games gold medalist in doubles (1985)
• Goodwill Games bronze medalist in doubles (1986)
• Maccabiah Games triple gold medalist (1985)
• University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame inductee (2000)

Collegiate Coaching Record

Seasons	School	Overall	Pct.	Conference^	NCAA Championship
1997-98	Florida International	8-10	.444	t-3rd
1998-99	Florida International	12-10	.545	2nd
1999-2000	Florida International	22-4	.846	2nd
2000-01	Florida International	23-3	.885	2nd	NCAA Second Round
2001-02	Florida International	18-7	.720	2nd	NCAA First Round
2002-03	Florida International	8-14	.364	3rd
2003-04	Florida International	15-6	.714	3rd
2004-05	Florida International	19-6	.760	1st	NCAA Second Round
2005-06	Florida International	21-6	.778	1st	NCAA Second Round
2006-07	Florida International	19-5	.792	1st	NCAA First Round
2007-08	Michigan	19-6	.760	2nd	NCAA Second Round
2008-09	Michigan	18-7	.720	2nd	NCAA Second Round
2009-10	Michigan	24-5	.828	1st	NCAA Sweet 16
2010-11	Michigan	24-5	.828	1st	NCAA Sweet 16
2011-12	Michigan	21-8	.724	t-1st	NCAA Sweet 16
2012-13	Michigan	23-6	.793	t-1st	NCAA Sweet 16
2013-14	Michigan	22-5	.815	1st	NCAA Second Round
2014-15	Michigan	26-4	.867	1st	NCAA Sweet 16
2015-16	Michigan	23-7	.767	T-2nd	NCAA Quarterfinals
2016-17	Michigan	23-6	.793	1st	NCAA Sweet 16
2017-18	Michigan	18-10	.643	2nd	NCAA Second Round
2018-19	Michigan	20-6	.769	1st	NCAA Sweet 16
2019-20	Michigan	5-6*	.454	n/a*	n/a*
2020-21	Michigan	19-4	.826	t-1st	NCAA Sweet 16
2021-22	Michigan	20-6	.769	2nd	NCAA Second Round
2022-23	Michigan	25-4	.862	1st	NCAA Quarterfinals
2023-24	Michigan	29-4	.879	1st	NCAA Quarterfinals
2024-25	Michigan	27-5	.844	1st	NCAA Semifinals
Totals		551-175	.759

*The 2019-20 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic prior to the start of conference play and postseason action.
^Florida International was a member of the Trans America Athletic Conference (now Atlantic Sun) during Bernstein's first season before moving to the Sun Belt Conference at the start of the 1998-99 season. Neither conference keeps league records, thus the conference tournament decides the league champion.