JOLIET, Ill. – An eight-year run as the head coach of the University of St. Francis women's tennis team and three-year stint as the head coach of the men's program has come to an end for Mark Ortega, who has stepped down from the position.

Ortega took over the head coaching responsibilities for the women's team in the fall of 2018 and put together a 21-19 record in Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) play over the next eight years.  The last three seasons he stepped in to aid with the men's team following the resignation of Nathaniel Boatright.

"Mark truly helped turn the women's program around upon taking it over in 2018," said USF director of athletics Dave Laketa.  "He worked tremendously hard on recruiting high-caliber players, which eventually led to our first conference title in nearly 40 years and both our first all-americans and ITA regional champs."   

"He truly had a passion for coaching the sport, which has been a life-long love for him and will continue to be.  We wish him well in what lies ahead for both him and his family."

As head coach at St. Francis, Ortega helped develop six all-conference women's singles players and two women's doubles selections, as well as CCAC Freshman and Player of the Year Anna Bintsarovskaya in 2023.  Bintsarovskaya went on to claim NAIA All-America accolades that year as well as each of the next two seasons under Ortega's watch.   

He also helped guide Bintsarovskaya and Nikki Christiansen to ITA Regional Cup Championships.

In 2023, Ortega led the women's team to a share of the CCAC regular-season title, an achievement that had not been accomplished since 1984.

A search for Ortega's successor will begin immediately.