Tyler Stephen is in his 10th season as head coach at Otterbein in 2024-25 after being hired in late June of 2015.
Stephen, a 2008 Otterbein graduate, has nine years overseeing the men's program and eight as leader of the women's team. He succeeded Hall of Fame coaches Mark and Pat Anderson to continue elevating the program.
A recent 3x (consecutive) OAC Coach of the Year on the women's side, Stephen most recently guided the program to repeat regular season and tournament titles with a perfect 14-0 record in 2021-22 and 2022-23. His Cards won their first-ever match in the NCAA Division III Championships before standout Erin Storrer went on to also represent in the NCAA Singles competition. She is the only Cardinal ever selected for the individual bracket.
In 2022-23, both tennis programs made the OAC Tournament Final (played on the same day) in going a combined 29-13 overall from start to finish.
Stephen was voted 2021 OAC Coach of the Year on BOTH sides by his peers across the league. It marked just the second time since the turn of the century that a coach earned the honor without winning the championship. In addition, Stephen also brought home
USPTA Midwest College Coach of the Year recognition.
Prior to Otterbein... Stephen enjoyed tremendous success at the high-school ranks, spending five years as the varsity boys and girls coach at nearby Dublin Jerome High School. He guided both teams to a combined 162-19 record while at the helm, winning four state championships on the female side in 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015. The girls program captured Ohio Capital Conference (OCC) titles in each of his five seasons while the boys side earned three conference crowns. In addition, the girl's squad earned a top-25 national ranking in Stephen's final season in 2015, capping off a successful stint at Jerome.
A
4x All-OAC performer while in college, Stephen competed at No. 1 singles in three of his four years and was a member of the 2005 OAC runner-up team. A frequent Dean's List honoree, he was also a 3x Academic All-OAC selection.
Stephen, USTA high-performance certified, has been a USPTA Elite Professional at The Racquet Club of Columbus since the fall of 2007, where he instructs and develops through private and group settings. He was the USPTA Midwest Coach of the Year in 2013, the OTCA State Coach of the Year in 2012, and coached the Midwest 16-and-under group at the Zone Team Championships in Oklahoma City.
In addition, he works as the head coach for the Ohio Valley Championships, selecting and then guiding the top junior players from Columbus against teams from Cincinnati, Dayton and other Ohio Valley areas. Stephen holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Otterbein and also studied abroad, for one year, at the University of San Sebastian in Chile during 2006.
Stephen's Record:
MEN:
| Year |
Overall |
OAC |
OAC Tournament |
| 2015-16 |
13-8 |
6-2 |
1-1 |
| 2016-17 |
12-11 |
5-3 |
1-1 |
| 2017-18 |
10-10 |
4-4 |
0-1 |
| 2018-19 |
17-4 |
6-1 |
0-1 |
| 2019-20 * |
8-3 |
N/A |
N/A |
| 2020-21 * |
6-2 |
5-1 |
1-1 |
| 2021-22 |
9-8 |
4-2 |
1-1 |
| 2022-23 |
14-6 |
5-1 |
1-1 |
| 2023-24 |
9-9 |
4-2 |
1-1 |
| Total |
98-61 |
37-16 |
6-8 |
WOMEN:
| Year |
Overall |
OAC |
OAC Tournament |
| 2016-17 |
13-6 |
5-3 |
1-1 |
| 2017-18 |
15-6 |
6-2 |
1-1 |
| 2018-19 |
17-4 |
7-1 |
0-1 |
| 2019-20 * |
10-1 |
N/A |
N/A |
| 2020-21 * |
7-3 |
5-2 |
2-1 |
| 2021-22 |
19-5 |
7-0 |
2-0 |
| 2022-23 |
15-7 |
7-0 |
2-0 |
| 2023-24 |
15-5 |
6-0 |
1-1 |
| Total |
111-30 |
43-8 |
9-5 |
* COVID-altered pandemic seasons
