Position: Associate Director of Tennis / Men's Head Coach
Years at EIU: Two (2013-15)
Alma Mater: Butler, 2008
In the spring of 2015, Eric Stark completed two seasons as associate program director/men’s tennis coach, after previously serving as the Eastern Illinois tennis graduate assistant coach under skipper John Blackburn, who oversaw the women’s squad as program director during that same time frame.
During his two-year stint as men's coach, the Panthers went a combined 11-25 overall and 7-11 in Ohio Valley Conference action. In 2014, the EIU squad advanced to the end-of-season league tournament, dropping a close 4-3 opening match.
In 2015, a pair of Panthers nabbed post-season honors as junior Robert Skolik and freshman Preston Touliatos represented Eastern with respective Second Team All-OVC kudos.
A 2008 graduate of Butler, Stark not only earned a degree in marketing but also co-founded the club tennis squad. While in the spring of 2013 he finished his master degree in sports administration through Eastern.
Under his assistantship the past two seasons, the Panther women’s tennis program have earned back-to-back appearances at the end-of-season Ohio Valley Conference championship, with EIU earning a fine overall mark of 13-6 overall and 7-3 in league action. The men’s team, meanwhile, nearly doubled their overall win record the past two seasons.
His coaching experience includes having held the position of head boy’s coach at Lake Central HS, where he recorded a two-year record of 21-12, as several players were recognized for all-conference, all-district and all-state honors. While in the classroom, his squad annually merited academic kudos as well.
He has previously worked as a tennis pro at both the Five Seasons Sports Club in Indianapolis and the Rush Copley Healthplex in Aurora, Ill.