MENOMONIE – Anthony Michels will begin his second season as the UW-Stout women’s tennis coach and the 2017 Menomonie High School graduate is feeling right at home as he works to build the program.

In Michels’ first season the Blue Devils saw their record improve by four match wins, the most wins by the team since the 2021 season.

The four-year MHS letterwinner, who played collegiately at UW-Superior and St. Norbert College, wants to step up the collegiate experience for his student-athletes.  Last year’s team featured between five and eight players, which could be a problem while setting a line-up if injuries occur. Despite graduating several seniors, Michels expects to have at least 11 players on the roster, including five freshmen, a far different experience from his first season.

“We didn’t even have the full six players (needed) to fill out a line-up,” Michels said. “We had to recruit on-campus to build the roster.”

Before the season, Michels expanded the team’s schedule, going from 10 dual matches during the 2023-24 season, to 22 dual matches in 2024-25. The Blue Devils play a conference season during the fall, then play a non-conference season in the spring. The conference team tournament is in the spring.

The team has scheduled 25 dual matches this season, plus the program will be returning to the prestigious ITA Regional Championships in September at Gustavus Adolphus College. Stout is scheduled to play a five-match dual schedule during spring break in Orlando, Fla., the first time the Stout women’s program has taken a spring break trip.

“We are trying to build a culture here,” Michels said. “The atmosphere at the ITAs, and playing on the USTA national courts (over spring break) will be a great experience.”

“I was the No. 6 singles for St. Norbert (when we were in Florida),” Michels said, “but I was sharing a bench with the top player from the University of Florida. It was a great experience.”

Outside of the more exotic experiences, Michels has scheduled more overnight trips during the regular schedule, resulting in more team bonding. Plus, he plans to initiate some camps and clinics throughout the year on the Stout campus.

Michels, who is also an assistant director of sports information at Stout, is looking to build the Stout tennis brand by bringing in more banners and windscreens, as well as up the social media presence, to improve the players’ experience. He talked about including more get-togethers among the team members – including bringing the players in a week earlier in the fall to begin practice – and to increase alumni involvement.

A Blue Devil assistant coach during the 2021-22 season, Michels’ history with Stout goes back long before that season.

“I have been going to Stout sporting events since I could walk,” Michels said. Michels’ parents, Bob and Cathy, continue to be avid Blue Devils fans. “I remember throwing the football behind the bench. Now, I’m part of it.”

Michels wants to see the program grow, and there really isn’t anywhere to go but up after last year’s team finished seventh at the conference tournament.

“We are really starting at ground zero,” Michels said, “but I believe we can get ourselves into a competitive spot within our region. I think we can continue to improve throughout the year.

“I am excited over how this has progressed. I see everybody working towards that same common goal.”

The Blue Devils open the 2025-26 season playing three matches at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, Aug. 30-31. Stout opens at home Friday, Sept. 5 by hosting Crown College at 4p.m., then opens the conference schedule the next day, Saturday, Sept. 6 at UW-Eau Claire at 10 a.m. Stout concludes the fall schedule Sunday, Oct. 26 at the Wisconsin Tennis Classic Individual tournament in Madison. Stout will return to action Saturday, March 7 at St. Norbert College and will take their spring break trip, March 16-20 in Orlando, Fla.

UW-Stout Tennis Schedule | MHS Girls Tennis Schedule | Anthony Michels’ Coaches Bio