A Head coach Bruce Berque announced on Thursday that Benjamin Becker, a seven-year collegiate tennis teaching veteran, a skilled professional player, and an NCAA team and singles champion, has been named Assistant Men’s Tennis Coach at Texas.
“Benni will be a tremendous asset to our program,” Berque stated. He was an NCAA team and individual champion while playing, and he has accomplished all the goals that our athletes have, including having a prosperous professional career. Everywhere he has been, as a coach, he has truly made a difference. Our players will be fortunate to work with a coach of such caliber, which makes me delighted.”
“It’s an honor to join the University of Texas Men’s Tennis team,” Becker stated. “The athletic department at UT is excellent, and Bruce Berque and his staff have built championship-caliber teams in the past. I’m excited to work with Bruce and Nick (Beaty), our assistant coach, as they continue to create a culture of championships and equip our student-athletes for success in all facets of life.”
After being appointed to the role in the summer of 2018, Becker served as the associate head coach of the University of Michigan men’s tennis team for five seasons (2019–23) before moving to Texas. Becker led the team to a 99-26 record during that span, appeared in the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight twice, advanced to the semifinals of the ITA National Team Indoor Championship, and produced 16 All-Big Ten and seven All-American choices.
After starting the tournament as the fifth seed, the Wolverines advanced to the NCAA Championship quarterfinals for the second time in a row in 2023. With 27 victories, the squad finished with a 27–5 record, which is the second-highest in program history. In addition to winning Big Ten Player of the Year, Ondrej Styler concluded his tenure at Michigan by leading his team to the NCAA Singles Championship final, and the team concluded the season ranked sixth in the ITA final poll.
Becker, the 2022 ITA Midwest Assistant Coach of the Year, led the Wolverines to a 25-4 season’s conclusion. Ohio State finished the regular season with two victories against Michigan, including No. 1 TCU, No. 2 and 4 Ohio State, and No. 6 Baylor. Michigan also won the Big Ten Tournament. The Wolverines advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament as the fifth seed.
After the pandemic separated the league for one season, Becker helped lead Michigan to the Big Ten East Division title in 2021. The team finished 14-2 overall in the conference and 9-1 in the division. With an overall record of 15-5, the Wolverines advanced to both the NCAA Tournament and the Big Ten semifinals. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic shortening the 2020 season, Michigan finished third in the country with a 14-3 overall record, four victories against opponents rated in the top 10, and a semifinal participation in the ITA National Team Indoor Championship. The Wolverines finished 18-9 in Becker’s first season in 2019 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
After spending the 2018 spring season as a volunteer assistant coach at SMU, Becker moved to Ann Arbor. Before that, he served in the same role at his former school, Baylor, in the autumn of 2017 after quitting professional tennis.
Becker competed in 36 main draw grand slam events while playing professionally on the ATP Tour from 2005 to 2017, reaching his top world ranking of 35 in 2014. Throughout his 12-year career, Becker—who was named the ATP Newcomer of the Year in 2006—has won five times over former world No. 1s, including Andre Agassi in his last match of 2006, Lleyton Hewitt, Gustavo Kuerten, Carlos Moyá, and Marat Safin.
In the singles division, he advanced to the fourth round of the U.S. Open in 2006, the third round of the Australian and French Opens in 2015, and seven times in the Wimbledon second round. He was the Libéma Open singles champion in 2009. He reached the third round of the Australian Open (2011), the Wimbledon (2007), the French Open (2010, 2012), and the U.S. Open (2010) in doubles.
A three-time All-American in the past, Becker won the singles title and assisted Baylor University in winning the 2004 NCAA Team Championship. As a student-athlete in Waco, Becker won three academic All-Big 12 first team selections and set records for both singles and doubles victories at Baylor.
In the spring of 2018, Becker, a Merzig, Germany native, graduated from Baylor with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Collin, Connor, and Cason are his three boys; he is married to Kristin.
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