March 14, 2008
Athletic Director Art Mullet announced the appointment of Jeron Baker as men's and women's tennis coach at Hesston College Friday, March 14.
A 2003 Hesston College grad, Baker earned a bachelor's degree in social work from Goshen (Ind.) College in 2005. He played tennis competitively in high school and college. Since graduating, Baker worked for a year as a case manager at Oaklawn Psychiatric Center in Elkhart, Ind., and as an admissions counselor at Goshen College since September 2006.
Academic Dean Sandra Zerger praised Baker as an excellent recruiter with a strong commitment to Hesston College. "Jeron is committed to excellence in the classroom, on the court, and in the dorms and he has a deep love for the game of tennis," she said.
Mullet sees great promise. "Jeron is a tennis enthusiast who will put forth a great effort and I'm confident that he will develop and build the program. The professionalism and drive with which he pursued this position will bring him success as he recruits student athletes. He will be an asset to Hesston's students as a coach and mentor and will contribute to the community beyond the courts as well."
Baker remembers his student years at Hesston as a time of growth and hopes to offer similar opportunities to his players. "Jen LeFevre, my tennis coach during my freshman year at Hesston, was an excellent coach. She contributed to my development as a player and a person," he said. "The idea of getting back to Hesston College, where a lot of my development took place, is really exciting to me. I hope to give to my players what was given to me, and to invest in the students who are there now.
"First and foremost I want to develop a strong tennis program," Baker added. "I want to bring in students and give them opportunities to develop their skills to compete on the court, and help them to succeed in tennis, in the classroom, and in life."
Baker will arrive on campus in early August.
Hesston College is the two-year college of Mennonite Church USA. In tennis, the Larks compete in Division I of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
Hesston College Tennis