Slava KonikovTitle: Head Coach Experience: 4th Year Email:vkonikov@hotmail.com Bio:
Vyacheslav “Slava” Konikov enters his sixth year with the Sacramento State tennis program, and his fourth as the men’s head coach. Prior to his appointment to head coach on Sept. 1, 2005, Konikov spent the 2004 and 2005 seasons as an assistant with Sacramento State women’s team.
In three years as the team's head coach, Konikov has led the Hornets to a 47-25 overall record, a 20-1 mark in the Big Sky Conference, three Big Sky regular season championships, one conference tournament crown and an NCAA Tournament appearance.
In 2008, Konikov guided Sacramento State to a 15-8 overall record and an 8-0 mark in the conference. Four of his players earned all-conference honors, including sophomore Anton Stryhas being named the league's MVP.
In 2007, Konikov led the Hornets to the program’s first Big Sky Tournament championship since the 2003 season. The team easily swept through all seven conference opponents during the regular season, and posted 4-0 victories over both Northern Arizona and Eastern Washington in the Big Sky Tournament semifinals and championship rounds, respectively. The team’s 20-6 record was the best since the 2001 squad went 20-3.
In addition, he coached freshmen Xavier Barajas-Smith and Anton Stryhas to first team all-Big Sky status, while Barajas-Smith became the third Hornet in program history to earn league MVP honors. Senior Gabriel Loredo (second team) rounded out the three Hornets to receive all-league honors.
In his first season as head coach in 2006, Konikov led the men’s team to a 12-11 overall record and a share of the Big Sky Conference regular-season championship with a 5-1 league mark. Two Hornets (Junaid Hossain and Gabriel Loredo) were named first team all-conference under Konikov’s tutelage. In addition, the team’s 2006-07 recruiting class was ranked first in the nation among all mid-major institutions and the 16th-best class among all Div. I schools by the Tennis Recruiting Network.
Konikov has an extensive coaching resumé, having spent time as head coach of the Belarus Davis Cup team from 1995-02, and leading the Belarus Junior National Women’s Team (14-year olds) to four-consecutive world championships from 1999-02. In addition, Konikov coached the Polish Junior Men’s and Women’s National Teams from 1993-95. From 1998-02, he coached Victoria Azaremko, who was the top-ranked juniors player in the world.
During his two years with the Sacramento State women’s squad, Konikov helped coach the team to a combined record of 46-9, including a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances. In 2005, the Hornets posted a 23-5 record, including six wins over ranked opposition.
A 22-year coaching veteran, the Minsk, Belarus, native also coached three players that were ranked among the top 200 professionals in the world in 2005, comprised of Max Mirnyi, Vladimir Voltchkov and Tatiana Poutchek. Mirnyi was also ranked No. 1 in the world in doubles play with teammate Jonas Bjorkman. In 2000, Voltchkov became the first qualifier to reach the Wimbledon semifinals since John McEnroe accomplished the feat in 1997.
Konikov also spent nine years as an instructor at the Minsk Tennis Club in Belarus (1983-92) where he coached Mirnyi, Voltchkov and Poutchek. During his playing days, Konikov was ranked among the top 10 singles players in the Soviet Union when he was 18 years old. He graduated from Moscow Sports University where he received what is the equivalent to the United States’ All-American honors as a tennis player.
Slava Konikov
