Derek Wappel was named the head coach of the University of St. Francis men’s & women’s tennis teams in July of 2026. The 2026-27 season will mark Wappel’s first year as head coach for each program.
Prior to joining the Fighting Saints staff, Wappel spent two seasons (2024-26) at Oakland City University (Ind.), first serving as an assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s tennis programs in the fall of 2024 before taking over the head coaching reins of the women’s team in January of 2025. While as the head coach at Oakland City, Wappel led the Mighty Oaks to back-to-back River States Conference titles, and produced an overall record of 32-10 that included two 16-5 seasons and consecutive bids at the 2025 & 2026 NAIA National Tournaments.
After a successful collegiate playing career with stints at St. Joseph’s College (Ind.) and Holy Cross College (Ind.), Wappel began his coaching career in 2022 after accepting a position as an assistant men’s tennis coach at Prairie State College, where he served through the 2024 season. While at Prairie State, Wappel helped recruit talent level that saw the Pioneers earn a Top 15 finish at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Tournament.
Wappel graduated from Holy Cross College (Ind.) in May of 2020 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
