NORFOLK, Va. – Former Norfolk State head coach Nathaniel Warren and former Division III All-American Artsiom Prostak will serve as assistant coaches for the NSU men’s and women’s tennis teams, head coach Worth Richardson announced this week.
Warren helped start the NSU men’s and women’s teams in the early to mid-1990s and returns to Norfolk State after five years away from the programs. Prostak competed at North Carolina Wesleyan during Richardson’s tenure as head coach there, finishing as a 2013 All-American.
“Coach Warren and Coach Prostak bring a wealth of ability and experience to our program,” said Richardson. “They both offer something unique to the program, which will help us solidify a place among the best in the MEAC.”
Warren served as the head coach of the men’s team for 17 years from its inception in 1992-93 through the spring of 2009. He was also the head coach of the women’s program for 15 years after starting it up prior to the 1994-95 school year. The two teams went a combined 402-216 (.650 winning percentage) under Warren’s direction.
He guided the programs through the transition to Division I and into the MEAC following the 1997 spring season, but not before leading the men’s team to titles in both the CIAA and the NCAA D-II Southeast Regional in ’97. NSU advanced to the NCAA round of 16 that year.
In Warren’s next-to-last season as head coach at NSU in 2008, the women finished as the runner-up at the MEAC Championship for the second time in their history. He coached several All-MEAC players during his tenure, including 2006 MEAC Rookie of the Year and 2008 MEAC Player of the Year Miroslav Vlcek.
Prostak was the USA South Conference Player of the Year in 2013 during Richardson’s one-year stint as head coach at N.C. Wesleyan. Prostak qualified for the NCAA Championships in both singles and doubles in ’13, finishing as an All-American after reaching the doubles final.
North Carolina Wesleyan won the USA South Conference title all four years of Prostak’s career there, as he finished with a 48-16 overall singles record during his career, including a 39-6 dual mark.
Prior to arriving at NSU, Prostak worked at the Kozlov Tennis Academy in Pembroke Pines, Fla., working with top ITF junior players. He also trained junior players at the Lockmere Swim & Tennis Club in Cary, N.C.
The duo will replace departed assistant coach Torrie Browning, who left during the summer to become the associate head coach for both tennis programs at George Washington.