University of Wisconsin-Madison Women's Tennis

Marek Michalicka, one of the most decorated players in Wisconsin men’s tennis history, was named head coach of the Badger women’s tennis program in August 2025. Michalicka (pronounced Mee-sha-lee-ka) spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach at Wisconsin, helping the Badgers to consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances while contributing to player development, recruiting, and program operations. His coaching résumé also includes two seasons as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State and a stint as a volunteer assistant with the University of Michigan men’s tennis program. A native of Rícany, Czech Republic, Michalicka competed professionally from 2011–2016, winning 11 ITF Futures singles titles and capturing the Czech National Indoor Championship in 2016. He reached a career-high ATP singles ranking of No. 235 and totaled 251 professional victories across singles and doubles play. At Wisconsin, Michalicka was a three-time All-Big Ten honoree, the 2008 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and a three-time NCAA singles qualifier. He closed his Badger career with a 97–35 singles record, the second-best winning percentage in school history (.735), along with 86 doubles victories. He was also a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. Michalicka earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from Wisconsin in 2011. He and his wife, Vanessa, live in New Glarus, Wisconsin, with their daughter, Amelia.

Katie Zordani joined the Wisconsin women’s tennis program as an assistant coach in September 2025. Zordani arrived in Madison following seven seasons at Cornell, where she was instrumental in developing All-Ivy honorees, strengthening team culture, and mentoring student-athletes both on and off the court. In addition to her coaching responsibilities, she previously worked in a professional sports role with the Chicago Bears. A former student-athlete at the University of Iowa, Zordani competed for the Hawkeyes from 2011–15 and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors all four years. She was the recipient of several team honors during her collegiate career, including the Grinder Award (2011–12), Iron Hawk Award (2013–14), and Leadership and Citizen Award (2014–15). A native of Lake Forest, Illinois, Zordani has strong family ties to the Badgers as her brother John and sister Christina both competed for Wisconsin. She lives in Madison with her husband Jack. Head Coach Marek Michalicka on Zorandi: "We are very excited to welcome Katie and her husband Jack to Wisconsin. Katie brings valuable experience from Cornell to our program. Her passion, personality, and leadership will be a great fit, and we’re confident she will make an immediate positive impact on our student-athletes. Simply put, Katie will be a terrific addition not only to our team, but also to the Badger family and the Madison community."