BOCA RATON, Fla. - After more than three decades leading Lynn University tennis, longtime Fighting Knights head coach
Mike Perez has announced his retirement, concluding one of the most decorated coaching careers in collegiate tennis history.
Perez spent 37 seasons guiding both the Lynn men's and women's tennis programs, building the Fighting Knights into national contenders year after year while establishing a championship standard that became synonymous with Lynn Athletics.
"After a career that has been nothing short of magical, I am announcing my retirement from Lynn University tennis," Perez said. "I depart with many fond memories that have left me with a sense of peace that makes this decision feel that this is the appropriate time. To the many student-athletes that I have had the privilege to coach and pass on our philosophies of success and gave their best and honest effort, I am eternally grateful. To the remarkable donors, supporters, administrators, faculty and staff that believed in our program, I have tremendous gratitude. Lynn University was not just a place to work; it was the place where lifelong friends were made and helped shape who I am today."
Perez retires with a combined career record of 1,298-372 across both programs, including a 733-139 mark with the women's team and a 565-233 record leading the men's program.
In 2025, Perez surpassed the 700-career-win milestone with the women's tennis program, further cementing his place among the winningest coaches in collegiate tennis history.
With seven national championships under his belt, Perez built Lynn tennis into a nationally recognized powerhouse while also emphasizing academic excellence throughout his tenure. Across both programs, he coached 204 All-Americans, including 78 on the men's side and 126 on the women's side, while consistently producing nationally ranked teams and standout student-athletes in the classroom.
Perez's remarkable coaching career was recognized in 2020 when he was inducted into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame.
Perez first joined Lynn University in 1989 as an assistant coach before taking over as head coach of both the men's and women's programs the following year. What followed was nearly four decades of unprecedented success that helped define Lynn Athletics on the national stage.
"I quickly found that one of the best parts of coaching at Lynn was the people, not just athletes but the entire community," Perez said.
On the women's side, Perez built one of the premier dynasties in collegiate tennis. Under his leadership, Lynn captured six national championships, including NCAA Division II National Titles in 1997, 1998, and 2001, along with NAIA National Championships in 1993, 1995, and 1996. His women's teams also finished as NCAA National Runner-Up six times and reached the national semifinals, quarterfinals, and regional rounds on numerous occasions.
Adding to the program's remarkable legacy, the women captured the NCAA Division II National Championship in 1997 during Lynn's first season competing at the Division II level. Perez later guided the program to additional national titles in 1998 and 2001, including a memorable championship victory over BYU-Hawaii that snapped the Seasiders' 103-match winning streak.
Perez guided the women's program to an incredible stretch of dominance during the late 1990s and early 2000s, highlighted by an undefeated 20-0 national championship season in 1998 and a 28-1 campaign in 2009 that ended with an NCAA National Runner-Up finish and SSC Championship. His 2019 squad also produced one of the finest seasons in program history, finishing 27-1 while capturing the SSC Championship and advancing to the NCAA National Championship match.
The women's program consistently remained among the nation's elite under Perez, making 26 consecutive NCAA Championship appearances after Lynn transitioned to Division II competition in 1997 while also reaching 16 Final Four appearances during that span. Most recently, Perez guided the women to a 12-9 overall record and another SSC Tournament appearance during the 2026 season.
Perez's women's program also became synonymous with individual excellence. Lynn produced dozens of NCAA ITA All-Americans, NAIA All-Americans, Academic All-Americans, SSC Players of the Year and nationally recognized student-athletes under his guidance. Most recently,
Salma Djoubri earned ITA Singles All-America honors in three consecutive seasons from 2023-25 while also being named the SSC Player of the Year in each of those campaigns.
Perez also elevated the Lynn men's tennis program into a perennial national contender. The defining moment came in 2007 when the Fighting Knights captured the NCAA Division II National Championship while also winning the Sunshine State Conference title. Perez additionally guided the men to NCAA semifinal, quarterfinal, and national-runner up appearances throughout his tenure.
The men's program won SSC Championships in 2006, 2007 and 2011 while making 24 NCAA Tournament appearances under Perez's direction. His teams reached the NCAA semifinals in 2012, quarterfinals in 2008 and 2009, and the NCAA Round of 16 in 2018.
Perez coached the men's team to numerous standout seasons, including a 24-4 national championship campaign in 2007 and a 22-4 finish during the program's NCAA semifinal run in 2012. His 2006 and 2007 teams both advanced to the NCAA Championship match, helping establish Lynn as one of Division II tennis' premier programs. He concluded his final season in 2026 with the Fighting Knights earning another SSC Tournament appearance after posting a 12-11 overall record and going out with a thrilling 4-3 conference tournament upset over No. 10 Florida Southern in the opening round.
The men's program also produced a long list of individual standouts under Perez, including ITA All-Americans, Academic All-Americans, SSC Players of the Year, SSC Freshmen of the Year and All-SSC selections. In 2026,
Louay Makke earned Second Team All-SSC Singles honors after ranking No. 21 nationally in the ITA singles rankings and posting a 12-7 record at the No. 1 flight. Makke and
Davide Cortimiglia also earned First Team All-SSC Doubles recognition after ranking No. 15 nationally and posting a 13-3 doubles record, including a 13-2 mark at No. 1.
Perez's men's program featured 78 All-Americans, including recent honorees Lucca Baptista, Will Kirkman and Ignacio Martinez in 2022, Joao Ferreira and Carlos Gomez in 2021, and Jean-Baptiste Mateo in 2018. The program also produced SSC Players of the Year Willi Wolfer, Julien Carsuzaa, Marius Calugaru and Fabio Massetta, along with numerous All-SSC performers across singles and doubles.
Beyond team accomplishments, Perez's programs consistently excelled on the regional and national individual stage. Across the NAIA and NCAA Division II eras, Lynn tennis produced 25 ITA Regional Champions and 13 ITA Cup Champions under Perez's leadership.
Among the most notable accomplishments were Petra Stankova and Mischa Peterova winning the 1993 NAIA Women's Doubles ITA Cup title, Christina Cavina capturing the 1994 NAIA Women's Singles ITA Cup, and Katerina Koldova earning the 1996 NCAA Division II Women's Singles ITA Cup championship.
On the men's side, Perez coached multiple regional champions during Lynn's rise to national prominence, including the doubles tandems of Forgacs/Massetta in 1998, Carsuzaa/Riegraf in 2006, and Riggs/Volpicelli in 2014. Julien Carsuzaa captured the 2007 regional singles title, while Willi Wolfer won the 2012 men's singles regional championship.
The women's program continued its dominance throughout the 2010s and 2020s, with regional champions including Ioana Ivan, Valentine Confalonieri, Diana Bogolii, Rosalie Willig and
Salma Djoubri. Djoubri most recently captured the 2023 ITA Cup singles championship and added another regional title in 2025.
By the numbers, Perez coached:
After Lynn joined the Sunshine State Conference in 1998, Perez accumulated 16 SSC Championships while compiling a combined conference record of 304-64 between the men's and women's programs. On the women's side alone, Perez lost just 22 SSC matches across 206 conference contests.
In 2022, Perez led the men's tennis program to its first SSC regular-season championship, while the women claimed the 2024 SSC regular-season title for the first time since 2019.
"I want to thank Coach Perez for the incredible impact he has had here at Lynn," said Director of Athletics
Kathy Kroupa. "His 37 years here have been unbelievably successful and he developed our tennis programs into national championship powerhouses. In addition to his seven national championships, his 17 Sunshine State Conference championships and over 200 All-Americans, Mike has touched the lives of thousands of student-athletes from around the world. The legacy he has built and countless memories he has created will be remembered by students, staff, and alumni forever."
Though championships became a defining part of Perez's legacy, his philosophy always centered around growth, resilience and maximizing the student-athlete experience.
"We have won many championships but also lost some," Perez said. "What is most important is that we got the opportunity to be there, work through adversity and compete."
Perez described his coaching style as supportive, direct and challenging, while constantly emphasizing the importance of daily improvement and mental toughness.
"Coaches do not motivate; they inspire," Perez said. "My job is to get them to find the motivation within themselves to overcome their egos and insecurities to be able to play mentally free and find success."
That mindset translated beyond the court and into the classroom. In 2024, Lynn men's tennis earned ITA All-Academic Team honors for the 13th time while the women's program received the distinction for the 15th time. Fourteen Fighting Knights additionally secured individual ITA All-Academic honors during the 2023-24 academic year.
Perez's accomplishments earned him numerous national and regional honors throughout his career. He was named NAIA National Coach of the Year three times, earned 13 Sunshine State Conference Coach of the Year honors and was selected as the NAIA Coach of the Decade for 1990-2000.
He also earned multiple Intercollegiate Tennis Association honors, including the 2007 ITA Men's National Coach of the Year award after leading the Fighting Knights to the NCAA Championship. Perez additionally earned ITA Regional Coach of the Year recognition multiple times across both programs.
In 2007, Perez was recognized as the Top Coach on the SSC Women's Tennis Silver Anniversary Team, while also earning Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame Coach of the Year honors in 2002.
An accomplished high school and collegiate baseball player in Arizona, Perez moved to Florida in 1988 and joined the Lynn athletics family as an assistant tennis coach. One season later, he assumed leadership of both the men's and women's programs, beginning a historic run that would span nearly four decades and define Lynn tennis for generations.
Perez continuously expressed gratitude for the Lynn community throughout his career and remained deeply committed to supporting the university beyond athletics, including participating in Lynn's Giving Day initiative for 27 consecutive years.
"I have received so much from the Lynn community," Perez said. "Anything I could give in return pales in comparison to what I have received."
As part of Perez's lasting legacy, alumni, friends and parents have come together to establish the Michael S. Perez Endowed Scholarship, which will provide scholarship opportunities for future Lynn men's and women's tennis student-athletes for years to come.
Perez's influence extended far beyond championships and records. Known for his passion, mentorship and commitment to student-athlete success, he helped shape generations of Fighting Knights both on and off the court while elevating Lynn's national profile in collegiate athletics.
Perez leaves Lynn University as one of the winningest and most respected coaches in collegiate tennis history, with a legacy defined by sustained excellence, national prominence and a lasting impact on Fighting Knights athletics for more than three decades.
