ONEONTA, N.Y. - SUNY Oneonta Director of Athletics Ryan Hooper has announced Michael Harmon as the next head coach of the men's and women's tennis teams. Harmon joins the Red Dragons following a year at Pacific Lutheran University as the head coach for both programs. Harmon will start at Oneonta on Aug. 1.

"I'm very excited to welcome Michael to our SUNY Oneonta Red Dragon family, as he heads both our Men's and Women's Tennis programs," said Hooper. "Michael brings a diverse tennis background with experience in the private tennis sector as a Division III head tennis coach and a very successful college tennis playing career." 

Harmon joins Oneonta with extensive tennis industry knowledge and 15 years of coaching experience. Before Pacific Lutheran, Harmon served as the assistant coach for Mesa Community College in Arizona, where he led practices, recruited student-athletes, and enhanced the overall educational development of the students. From 2009-11, he was the head coach at St. Pius X High School in Kansas City, Missouri. While at St. Pius, Harmon guided the Warriors to a 56-4 record. Additionally, Harmon created and implemented a workout and injury prevention program that collegiate coaches adopted for their teams.

Harmon was the primary head tennis professional at the Clayview Country Club in Kansas City, Missouri, bringing in new members and maintaining the courts and equipment. 

"Michael will be taking over two successful programs, with the women already at the top of the SUNYAC and the men moving into a very competitive Wisconsin Intercollege Athletic Conference (WIAC)," continued Hooper. "I know he's eager to start connecting with the student-athletes. I look forward to watching his tennis philosophy play out on the court."

A prolific college player, Harmon was a seven-time All-Saint Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) selection at Westminster College and was named to the SLIAC All-Decade Team for 2000-2009. Harmon continues to play competitively and is one of the nation's top tennis players in his age group. 

Harmon earned a bachelor's degree in international business from Westminster College (Mo.) and Queen Mary College of London (U.K.). He holds a master's degree in international business from Oklahoma City University.