Gene Orlando Position: Head Coach Experience: 17th season

Now in his 17th season at the helm of the Michigan State men's tennis program, Gene Orlando looks to continue the legacy of strength and excellence that happens both on the court and in the classroom. All four of MSU's NCAA Championship singles qualifiers have played under Orlando. Additionally, two doubles combos have played on the national stage under Orlando's watch.

In 2006-07, Orlando mentored a young Spartan squad featuring just one senior to 11 dual wins. Furthermore, junior Nick Rinks climbed into the national rankings and advanced to the NCAA Championships, marking the fourth time a Spartan singles player made it to the national tournament.

2005-06 marked Orlando's 15th season in Green and White, and the team's 7-18 record pushed him past 200 career wins and 175 wins at MSU.

2003-04 was the 90th season in program history, and and it was one of the best in school history. The Spartans racked up 17 victories, which tied the most a Michigan State squad had posted since 1963. Furthermore, MSU was ranked in every ITA poll during the season. During the campaign, Orlando recorded the biggest win of his career Feb. 14 when the Spartans downed No.8 Vanderbilt in a 4-3 upset win over the 2003 NCAA runner-up. In 2004-05, Orlando and MSU posted a 12-12 (4-6 Big Ten) mark.

Orlando's goals every year include qualifying for the NCAA Tournament as a team and having players qualify individually, yet academics has also become a trademark of the program. Last year, two of Orlando's players received Academic All-Big Ten honors for having a grade-point average of 3.0 or better. In the last five seasons, the accolade has been given out 21 times to Spartan netters. Under Orlando's guidance, there have been a total of 48 selections to the Academic All-Big Ten team with Aaron Murray receiving the honor four times and Brad Dancer, Jayson Bedford, Mark Findling, Ken Kigongo, Adam Hourani, Cameron Marshall, Jimmy McGuire and Eric Simonton, three times. Murray, Findling and Hourani are the only Spartans to ever garner Academic All-America status. These honors speak highly of the well-rounded program that Michigan State and Orlando are working to attain.

Orlando came to MSU from Bowling Green, where he spent three seasons guiding the Falcons. He played collegiate tennis at Ball State Unviersity in Muncie, Ind., helping the Cardinals to four MAC championships during his career. Orlando won conference titles his junior and senior seasons. His overall record was 91-40 in singles and 98-24 in doubles. Orlando was ranked as high as 21st nationally in doubles and made an NCAA apperance his senior season. He was also honored as the MAC Scholar of the Year in 1987, and spent one year as a graduate assistant for Ball State, which went on to win another MAC crown. In September 1997, Orlando was inducted into the Ball State Unversity Athletics Hall of Fame.

Born in Heidelberg, Germany, on August 23, 1965, Orlando earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from Ball State in 1987. His family includes his wife, Janice, daughters Magalene Elizabeth and Gabrielle Marie, and son Vincent Alden.

ORLANDO'S COACHING CAREER
(218-270) 19 years

Year	School	Record	Conf. Record (Conf.)
1989	Bowling Green	12-12	2-4 (MAC)
1990	Bowling Green	8-16	0-6 (MAC)
1991	Bowling Green	11-12	2-3 (MAC)
3 years	                  31-40	4-13 (MAC)
1992	Michigan State	12-12	4-6 (Big Ten)
1993	Michigan State	13-14	6-4 (Big Ten)
1994	Michigan State	8-14	2-8 (Big Ten)
1995	Michigan State	13-12	6-4 (Big Ten)
1996	Michigan State	14-13	4-6 (Big Ten)
1997	Michigan State	10-17	3-7 (Big Ten)
1998	Michigan State	15-13	3-7 (Big Ten)
1999	Michigan State	10-13	5-5 (Big Ten)
2000	Michigan State	8-20	2-8 (Big Ten)
2001	Michigan State	7-18	1-9 (Big Ten)
2002	Michigan State	14-12	2-8 (Big Ten)
2003	Michigan State	15-12	5-5 (Big Ten)
2004	Michigan State	17-13	3-7 (Big Ten)
2005	Michigan State	13-13	4-6 (Big Ten)
2006	Michigan State	7-19	1-9 (Big Ten)
2007	Michigan State	11-16	2-8 (Big Ten)
16 years	                  187-270	68-123 (Big Ten)