JOLIET, Ill. -- After building a resume of success as both a player and coach at the collegiate level,
Derek Wappel will look to bring the latter experience to the University of St. Francis after being named both the Fighting Saints head men's and women's tennis coach for the upcoming 2026-27 season. He takes over for
Mark Ortega, who stepped down from his position in May.
"Derek has had a track record of success, especially on the coaching side, and we are excited to see him continue that here at St. Francis," said USF director of athletics
Dave Laketa. "He also has the knowledge of our conference, having played in the league himself."
A native of Northwestern Indiana, Wappel started his collegiate playing career at Saint Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana before transferring to Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) member school Holy Cross College. He gained his start in coaching as an assistant in the men's program at Prairie State College for two seasons.
While at Prairie State, Wappel helped recruit a talent level that saw the Pioneers earn a Top 15 finish at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Tournament. From there, he moved on to Oakland City University to serve as an assistant for both the men's and women's programs.
Less than four months later, Wappel took on the head coaching reins of the women's program and guided the Mighty Oaks to back-to-back River States Conference titles. That earned OCU a bid to each of the last two NAIA National Tournaments.
In each of those two seasons, Wappel's teams won 16 matches. They amassed a combined 32-10 overall record.
"Derrek's success has come from his ability to recruit strong tennis players both locally and internationally," added Laketa. "And while winning has been important to him, he also understands the significance of having his student-athletes give back to the community. That's the other side of his coaching, preparing them for life."
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