Ronni Bernstein |
 Head Coach Ronni Bernstein |
onni Bernstein is more
that just the head coach of the Florida International University
women's tennis team. She is its role model. Over her illustrious
tennis career, Bernstein has excelled as an All-America collegian,
a touring professional, instructor and coach.
Bernstein is the winningest coach in the history of women's tennis at FIU with a 95-46 record after six seasons.
In 1995, she came to the Golden Panthers as an associate head coach and two years later, took over the reigns as full-time head women's tennis coach. When she joined the staff at FIU it marked a return to collegiate tennis after a four-year hiatus spent as a tennis instructor at the prestigious Coral Oaks Tennis Club in Miami.
Bernstein's 2002 team finished with an 18-7 record and was rewarded with its second consecutive berth into NCAA Regional play. The Golden Panthers recorded wins over eight ranked schools, perhaps the biggest of which was an upset over No. 9-ranked Tennessee.
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Education: -- University of Miami, Fla. (1988) Coaching Experience: -- Head Coach, Florida International (1997-present) -- Associate Head Coach, Florida International (1995-97) -- Assistant Coach, Arizona State (1990-91) Coaching Honors: -- Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year (2000) Amateur Athletic Experience: -- NCAA All-American (1984-88) -- Maccabiah Games Gold Medalist (1985) -- NCAA Division I Doubles Champion (1985) -- Pan-American Games Gold Medalist (1985) -- ITCA National Indoors Double Champion (1986) -- Tennis Magazine All-Star (1986-87-88) -- USTA Junior Federation Cup Member (1986-87-88) -- Goodwill Games Bronze Medalist (1987) -- NCAA Senior Player of the Year (1988) Professional Athletic Experience: -- No. 78 Singles World Ranking (1989) -- No. 30 Doubles World Ranking (1989) -- Domino's Team Tennis Rookie of the Year (1989) -- Domino's Team Tennis Player of the Year (1989) -- Virginia Slims of Puerto Rico Double Champion (1989) |
FIU finished as the No. 24-ranked team in Division I and with an 11-3 record against ranked opponents that included a 4-0 victory over Penn State in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Bernstein's first year as head coach came in 1997 when, despite having only two returning players, the Golden Panthers captured the Trans America Athletic Conference Tournament championship. In 1999, the program's first year as a member of the Sun Belt Conference, her program improved to 12-10 and in 2000, the team posted an impressive 22-4 mark.
Bernstein was an All-American in both singles and doubles the four straight years she attended the University of Miami (Fla.). She was named the NCAA's Senior Player of the Year after reaching the finals in doubles and semifinals in singles at the National Championships. As a sophomore, Bernstein was part of a doubles team with current Florida State head coach Lise Gregory that won the NCAA National title and finished undefeated with a perfect 29-0 record. Together, the duo compiled an impressive 84-10 record over their four years, while Miami was consistently ranked among the nations' Top Five.
Among her other credits, Bernstein claimed the gold medal at the 1985 Pan-American Games, the bronze medal at the 1986 Goodwill Games and was part of the 1986 ITCA National Indoor Doubles Championship team. She was also named by Tennis Magazine as a member of its all-star teams in 1986, 1987 and 1988 as well as being selected to the USTA Junior Foundation Cup teams those same years. In 1985, she was a triple gold medalist in the Maccabiah Games in Israel.
"I think my players know that I've been in their positions before and that certainly helps," said Bernstein. "I often practice with them on the court so they can see that I'm serious about trying to help them. I want each one of them to know that I am here for her, not just with tennis, but educationally and personally as well."
After receiving her bachelor's degree from Miami in 1988, Bernstein played professionally, reaching the world ranking of No. 30 in doubles and No. 78 in singles. In 1989, she was named Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year for Domino's Team Tennis. She also claimed the 1989
 The Bernsteins: Morty, Max, Jake and Ronni |
Bernstein returned to the collegiate ranks in 1990, when she was named assistant coach at Arizona State University. After a year at ASU, she returned home to Miami.
The Miami Sunset High School graduate is married to Morty Bernstein and the couple has two sons, 5-year-old Max and one-year-old Jake Evan.
