Head Coach Christine Franek
Email Coach Franek

B.A., Brown University
ED.M., Harvard Graduate School of Education
7th year of coaching at Wellesley

Head coach Christine Franek is in her seventh season at the helm of Wellesley College Tennis. During her tenure, Franek has guided Wellesley to a 109-34 overall record, including an impressive 36-match win streak against conference opponents. Her guidance has led the team to four-straight conference titles as well as four consecutive NCAA bids.

As a testament to Franek’s leadership ability, her team has won the NEWMAC Sportsmanship Award both times in the two-year history of the honor.  Given to the team that most closely demonstrates the ideals of the NEWMAC and its Code of Conduct, the Sportsmanship Award is voted on by the student-athletes from each team.

The success of Wellesley Tennis has rightfully garnered Franek recognition throughout the New England tennis community. She has earned NEWMAC Coach of the Year honors for the last four years and was named the 2006 USTA New England College Coach of the Year. In addition, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) recognized her as the 2006 Wilson-ITA Coach of the Year for the Northeast Region, and the United States Professional Tennis Association New England Division, also tagged her as the 2006 Jack Barnaby Collegiate Coach of the Year.

Franek, who had coached girls’ tennis and taught history at Newton North High School since 1997, began her career at Wellesley as an assistant coach in 2000.  Prior to coming to Wellesley, Franek served as an assistant coach at Brown University during the 1995-96 season. She also worked at the Natick Racquet Club as a teaching tennis professional, and as head professional at the Wayland Swim and Tennis Club.

Franek played her collegiate tennis at Brown University and earned a bachelor’s degree from the Ivy League school in international relations in 1992. She received her master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1997.

While at Brown, Franek was a member of the 1991 Ivy League Championship team, and served as team captain as a senior. She received the Outstanding Senior Athlete Award and the Nancy B. Parker award as the player who contributed the most to Brown women’s tennis.

Before starting at Newton North in 1997, Franek was employed on two separate occasions by the Institute for International Sport. Initially, she directed the educational programs for the 1993 World Scholar-Athlete Games. Later, Franek served as Associate Director of Development for the 1997 games.

The Institute for International Sport and Positive Coaching Alliance at Stanford University recently honored Franek as a 2008 Sports Ethics Fellow.  Sports Ethics Fellows have demonstrated admirable leadership in the areas of fair play and sportsmanship on the local or national level.