Becker appointed assistant men's tennis coach

Austin Benjamin Becker, a seven-year coaching veteran of collegiate tennis, an accomplished professional player and an NCAA team and singles champion, has been named Texas men's assistant tennis coach, head coach Bruce Berque Announced Thursday.

“Benni will be a tremendous asset to our program,” Berque said. “As a player, he was an NCAA team and individual champion, and he has achieved everything our players strive for, including a successful professional career. As a coach, he has been a true difference maker wherever he has gone. Happy for our players to have the opportunity to work with such an experienced coach.”

“It is an honor to join the University of Texas men's tennis team,” said Becker. “UT has an elite athletic department, and Bruce Berque and his staff have done a great job building championship-caliber teams in the past. I look forward to helping Bruce and (assistant coach) Nick (Beaty) build a championship culture and prepare our student-athletes to succeed in every aspect of life.”

Prior to Texas, Becker spent five seasons as head coach of the University of Michigan men's tennis team from 2019 to 2023 after being named to the position in the summer of 2018. During that time, Becker helped the program to a 99-26 mark. record, made back-to-back appearances in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament, reached the semifinals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship and had seven All-Americans and 16 All-Big Ten selections.

In 2023, the Wolverines made their second straight appearance in the NCAA Championship quarterfinals after entering the tournament as the fifth seed. The team posted a 27-5 record, with the 27 wins being the second most in program history. The team finished the season ranked No. 6 in the ITA final poll, and Ondrej Styler capped his Michigan career with a run to the finals of the NCAA Singles Championship, in addition to being the Big Ten Player of the Year.

Becker, the 2022 ITA Midwest Assistant Coach of the Year, helped the Wolverines finish that season with a 25-4 record. Michigan posted multiple victories over top-ranked opponents, including No. 1 TCU, Ohio State at Nos. 2 and 4, and No. 6 Baylor, and the season culminated in a Big Ten Tournament Championship. As the fifth seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Wolverines reached the Elite Eight.

In 2021, Becker helped lead Michigan to the Big Ten East Division title, going 9-1 in the division after the pandemic split the league for one season while posting a 14-2 overall conference mark. The Wolverines finished with a 15-5 overall record and reached the Big Ten semifinals and the NCAA tournament. Although the 2020 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Michigan ranked third in the nation with a 14-3 overall record, four wins over top-10 opponents and a semifinal appearance in the ITA National Team Indoor Championship. In Becker's first season in 2019, the Wolverines went 18-9 and secured a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Becker came to Ann Arbor after serving as a volunteer assistant coach at SMU during the 2018 spring season. Previously, he served in the same capacity at his alma mater, Baylor, in the fall of 2017 after retiring from professional tennis.

From 2005 to 2017, Becker played professionally on the ATP Tour, appearing in 36 main draw Grand Slam tournaments, while achieving his highest world ranking of 35 in 2014. Becker, the ATP Newcomer of the Year in 2006, has a career-high five victories over former world number one. 1's throughout his 12-year career, including Andre Agassi's last game in 2006, Lleyton Hewitt, Carlos Moyá, Gustavo Kuerten and Marat Safin.

He reached the fourth round of the US Open in singles in 2006, while in 2015 he reached the third round of both the Australian Open and French Open, and during his career he reached the second round of Wimbledon seven times. In 2009 he won the singles title at the Libéma Open. In doubles, he reached the third round of both the Australian Open (2011) and Wimbledon (2007), along with the second round of the French Open (2010, 2012) and the US Open (2010).

A former three-time All-American, Becker helped lead Baylor University to the 2004 NCAA Team Championship while claiming the singles championship the same season. During his time at Waco as a student-athlete, Becker became Baylor's all-time leader in singles and doubles victories while also earning three academic All-Big 12 first-team honors.

A native of Merzig, Germany, Becker earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from Baylor in the spring of 2018. He and his wife Kristin have three sons, Collin, Connor and Cason.