Posted: Feb 01, 2017
Director of Athletics Andy DeStephano announced the appointment of Jeffrey Menaker to the position of head men's and women's tennis coach at Berkeley College. Menaker comes to Berkeley after a stint as the director of tennis at Hofstra University on Long Island. He also coached the men's and women's tennis teams at Lehman College and served as men's coach at Yeshiva University in New York.
"I am grateful to Andy DeStephano and Steve Spagnoli for granting me this opportunity," commented Menaker. "I look forward to working with the talented student-athletes on our tennis teams and building a tradition of success on and off the courts at Berkeley."
"I am grateful to Andy DeStephano and Steve Spagnoli for granting me this opportunity," commented Menaker. "I look forward to working with the talented student-athletes on our tennis teams and building a tradition of success on and off the courts at Berkeley."
During his tenure at Hofstra, Menaker came on board in the middle of a school year, taking stewardship of a program with insufficient numbers to compete following the departure of the previous coach. Nevertheless, he was able to save Hofstra's tennis seasons through walk-ons, changes to the culture and a new approach to conditioning which kept players healthy throughout the season. Under Menaker's leadership, Hofstra's men's and women's teams both recorded their highest win totals of the last decade.
At Lehman College, Menaker helped the women's team to a pair of CUNYAC Quarterfinal appearances, while the men's team was also CUNYAC quarterfinalists in the one full season (2015) under his tutelage. While coaching at Lehman, Menaker served on the ECAC Championship Committee.
Prior to his stint at Lehman, Menaker coached the men's tennis program at Yeshiva University from 2010 through 2013. He helped build a roster that led to the first Skyline Conference Championship and the first NCAA tournament bid, for any sport, in the 128-year history of the university in 2014.
A New York native, Menaker has also coached scholastic tennis. Starting in 2008, for eight consecutive seasons, he coached a singles player, a doubles team or both to the final in one or more of the NYSFSSAA state federation tournaments. At Bronx High School of Science, he led the Wolverines to the 2015 PSAL Girls' team championship while guiding two National High School All-Americans and multiple individual New York City champions in singles and doubles. He coached at Edgemont High School in Westchester County, where he mentored the 2013 New York State doubles champions. He coached at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan for five seasons, guiding the varsity girls to a 55-8 regular season record, five straight Mayor's Cup appearances, a spot in the 2009 PSAL Championship match, and several NYJTL All-Academic Team Awards.
He has been a member of the NYSPHSAA State Tournament seeding committee and, in 2014, helped coach the PSAL Boys' State Tournament Team to its first ever NYSFSSAA points championship. Menaker was honored in 2014 by the NYSPHSAA Section 1 Coaches Association with the Jim San Marco Award for Outstanding Leadership. With the United States Tennis Association, he was the Junior Team Tennis Coordinator for the Metro Region in 2012.
A 2000 graduate of Skidmore College with degrees in English literature and theater, Menaker walked on for the Thoroughbreds in his freshman year. While studying abroad at the University of Adelaide in Australia he was the first American-born captain of the Lincoln College tennis team, He attended the Shakespeare Programme at the British American Drama Academy as well as the BADA Shakespeare/drama studies course at Oxford University.
Prior to his stint at Lehman, Menaker coached the men's tennis program at Yeshiva University from 2010 through 2013. He helped build a roster that led to the first Skyline Conference Championship and the first NCAA tournament bid, for any sport, in the 128-year history of the university in 2014.
A New York native, Menaker has also coached scholastic tennis. Starting in 2008, for eight consecutive seasons, he coached a singles player, a doubles team or both to the final in one or more of the NYSFSSAA state federation tournaments. At Bronx High School of Science, he led the Wolverines to the 2015 PSAL Girls' team championship while guiding two National High School All-Americans and multiple individual New York City champions in singles and doubles. He coached at Edgemont High School in Westchester County, where he mentored the 2013 New York State doubles champions. He coached at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan for five seasons, guiding the varsity girls to a 55-8 regular season record, five straight Mayor's Cup appearances, a spot in the 2009 PSAL Championship match, and several NYJTL All-Academic Team Awards.
He has been a member of the NYSPHSAA State Tournament seeding committee and, in 2014, helped coach the PSAL Boys' State Tournament Team to its first ever NYSFSSAA points championship. Menaker was honored in 2014 by the NYSPHSAA Section 1 Coaches Association with the Jim San Marco Award for Outstanding Leadership. With the United States Tennis Association, he was the Junior Team Tennis Coordinator for the Metro Region in 2012.
A 2000 graduate of Skidmore College with degrees in English literature and theater, Menaker walked on for the Thoroughbreds in his freshman year. While studying abroad at the University of Adelaide in Australia he was the first American-born captain of the Lincoln College tennis team, He attended the Shakespeare Programme at the British American Drama Academy as well as the BADA Shakespeare/drama studies course at Oxford University.
Menaker, who resides in Queens with his wife Angela and two children, also served as executive director and founding artistic director of the Citizen Pell Theater Group.
