Minnesota men’s tennis coach David Geatz will resign at the end of the season, athletics director Joel Maturi announced Monday. Geatz is in his 18th season as the Gophers coach. Minnesota is 11-9 this season.
“I just decided it was time to do something else,” Geatz said. “I’m going to finish out the year. I feel I owe it to the guys on the team.”
Geatz, who is Minnesota’s all-time winningest coach, with a 307-153 record, was put on a leave of absence last spring while the NCAA was investigating the men’s tennis program. The NCAA found Geatz and assistant coach Adam Cohen guilty of six minor violations, and both coaches were suspended for a month beginning May 2.
The violations stemmed from improper benefits given to Minnesota tennis players D.J. Geatz – David Geatz’s son – and Andres Osorio at a summer internship program at North Oaks Golf Club in North Oaks.
Geatz said the incident factored into his decision to leave the program.
“Everything figures into the entire equation,” Geatz said. “It’s hard for me to say anything other than that.”
Former player Avery Ticer, who still practices with the team on a regular basis, had not heard the news of Geatz’s resignation when reached for comment and was surprised by the announcement.
“I’ve known coach Geatz a long time,” Ticer said. “He’s the reason I came to Minnesota. He just does so much for you and cares so much about you. He treated me like a son, and he does that for everybody.”
Geatz said he hasn’t decided yet what to do in the future, but said he might join his brother’s or his former college roommate’s start-up company.
The Gophers have won five Big Ten Championships and appeared in 12 NCAA Tournaments during Geatz’s tenure. Geatz was the coach at the University of New Mexico from 1982 to 1987.
“David has been a great asset to the University of Minnesota Athletics Department for the past 18 years,” said Athletics Director Joel Maturi in a prepared statement. Maturi did not return phone messages seeking comment. “He will always be a member of the Golden Gopher family and we wish him well in his future endeavors.”
– Matt Anderson contributed to this report.
