Oberlin College Men's Tennis

Eric Ishida is headed into his 14th season as the head coach of the Oberlin men’s tennis program in 2025-26. A two-time North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Coach of the Year (2015, 2017), Ishida has revolutionized the Crimson and Gold men's tennis program recording six seasons of double-digit victories and leading the team into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national and regional rankings. Ishida has guided Oberlin to the NCAC tournament each year it has been held since taking over the program with 11 tournament appearances while tallying 20 All-NCAC singles honorees, seven All-Conference doubles selections, three NCAC Newcomer of the Year recipients, and a NCAC Decade honoree. The Crimson and Gold have also excelled in the classroom under Ishida’s direction, totaling 56 ITA Scholar-Athletes, 44 NCAC Academic Honor Roll recipients, eight College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honorees, and eight ITA All-Academic teams. Ishida came to Oberlin after a successful tenure as the head women’s tennis coach at Washington and Lee University where he guided his team to a berth in the NCAA Championship Tournament in each season along with a pair of quarterfinal appearances, including a national runner-up finish in 2008. In five seasons as the Generals head coach, Ishida compiled an impressive 107-26 record and coached eight ITA All-Americans. The 2012 squad won the ITA National Indoor Championship and was ranked as high as #3 in the NCAA national poll. A 2004 graduate of Ohio University, Ishida played three years of collegiate tennis at Wright State University before transferring to OU to complete his degree in physical education. He also earned his master’s degree in coaching education from Ohio University in 2013. ERIC ISHIDA CAREER COACHING RECORD Season Overall Record NCAC Record NCAC Finish 2012-13 9-13 3-6 7th 2013-14 12-13 3-5 6th 2014-15 12-11 5-5 6th 2015-16 15-9 6-5 4th 2016-17 16-10 7-3 T-3rd 2017-18 11-10 2-1 2nd (East Division) 2018-19 9-13 2-1 2nd (East Division) 2019-20 3-5 1-0 2020-21 1-6 0-0 2021-22 7-13 1-2 3rd (East Division) 2022-23 10-8 4-3 4th 2023-24 8-12 2-5 6th 2024-25 7-14 3-4 5th Total (13 seasons): 120-137 (.467) 39-40 (.494)

John Erikson enters his 22nd season at Oberlin after he began his tenure as an assistant coach with the Oberlin College men’s and women’s tennis programs in 2004. A 1961 Oberlin graduate and member of the John W. Heisman Club Hall of Fame, Erikson starred in tennis, basketball and football for the Yeomen. Erikson still competes at the national level where he and his son Carl have won 14 father-son national championships, including two "grand slams". Both of his sons, Carl and Erik, also played tennis for Oberlin. Erikson served as the Heisman Club’s President (2004-2006) and is still very actively involved in the organization’s development and success. He and his wife, Margaret (OC ‘62), reside in Oberlin.