Mark Wesselink (2025) - Richmond Athletics Hall of Fame

Mark Wesselink

Induction:
2025

One of the most decorated coaches in Richmond athletics history, Mark Wesselink led the Spider women’s tennis program to unprecedented success for more than three decades of what he described as “a very brief 33 years.”

Wesselink guided the program to nine conference championships and 11 NCAA Tournament appearances. The eight-time conference Coach of the Year recorded 379 Richmond victories, leading the Spiders to a first or second place finish in the conference championship 17 times.

He began his tenure at Richmond in 1989 as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association, then made the Spiders presence known immediately when they joined the Atlantic 10 in 2001, leading UR to a conference championship in its first season. Wesselink was named A-10 Coach of the Year. Richmond dominated the A-10 for next decade, winning nine Atlantic 10 Tournament Championships in 11 years including four-straight titles in two different spans, from 2004-2007 and 2009-2012. Richmond appeared in the NCAA Tournament each of those nine years, and Wesselink was named A-10 Coach of the Year seven of those nine seasons.

Prior to Richmond, he spent three seasons as an assistant at Harvard, helping the Crimson to three NCAA Tournament appearances. He served as head coach at Drake, posting a 60-24 mark in three seasons, bringing his career victory total to 439. A highly-respected and beloved figure in the tennis community, he served as chairman of the ITA Division I Eastern Regional Committee in 1993.

Wesselink announced his retirement as head coach in June 2022, but remained close to the program as a volunteer assistant coach for two seasons until his untimely passing in July 2024.