Men's Tennis
Klingemann, Chris
Chris Klingemann
- Title:
- Associate Head Coach
- Phone:
- 467-1613
Chris Klingemann enters his 14th season with Northwestern men’s tennis in 2024-25, joining the coaching staff in 2011 and assuming his role of associate head coach in August of 2014. Throughout his tenure, the ‘Cats have reached nine NCAA Tournaments, including six straight in his first six seasons, with the team boasting a record of 225-142 across all matches.
Klingemann made an instant impact upon arriving at the program for the 2011-12 season, taking the team back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years. The ‘Cats posted a record of 15-11, including a conference record of 7-4, their most conference wins in a season since 2001. The duo of Sidarth Balaji and Raleigh Smith took Northwestern back to the winner’s circle at the Big Ten Doubles Championship for the first time since 1985, with Smith also taking victory at the Big Ten Singles Championship for the ‘Cats’ first win since 1998.
2013 brought the team their first 20-win season since 1997, with the ‘Cats advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year with a 22-10 record. Both Raleigh Smith and Spencer Wolf received All-Big Ten Honors, with Smith and Sidarth Balaji setting the 7th highest doubles winning percentage in program history, going 16-5 (.761). The ‘Cats took their first victory in an NCAA Tournament game since 1998 with a 4-3 win over Wake Forest
The 2014 season saw the Wildcats reach the 20-win plateau for the second consecutive season, notching a record of 21-11, with 10 wins coming against ranked opponents. The season was highlighted by the emergence of Sam Shropshire, who burst onto the scene with 24 singles wins and an .828 singles winning percentage en route to being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year as well as the ITA Region IV Rookie of the Year. Along with Shropshire, Raleigh Smith earned All-Big Ten First Team honors and was also selected to compete in the NCAA Singles Championship as an at-large. Chicago's Big Ten Team posted its third straight 20-win season in 2015, going 21-10 in dual match play. The Wildcats posted their then-best conference mark under head coach Arvid Swan with an 8-3 record in Big Ten play, with the team reaching as high as 14th in the ITA national poll. Sam Shropshire and Strong Kirchheimer received Big Ten accolades in their sophomore seasons. Shropshire was a First Team All-Big Ten selection after a 23-13 season a 9-1 mark in the conference. Kirchheimer led the team in wins with 25 and was Second Team All-Big Ten. Klingemann was named the ITA Midwest Region Assistant of the year for the 2016 season, as Northwestern had its best season in program history to date in 2016, winning a school record 26 matches and hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament as the No. 14 overall seed. The Wildcats reached as high as No. 7 in the national rankings during the regular season. The team finished second in the Big Ten with a 10-1 mark and won 13 times over top-50 national opponents. Konrad Zieba, Sam Shropshire and Strong Kirchheimer all earned First Team All-Big Ten honors, with Kirchheimer posting the 15th 30-win season in program history.
The Wildcats continued their winning ways in 2017, winning their first nine matches en route to a No. 7 national ranking. Northwestern won 22 matches on the year, including five wins over top-50 opponents. The ‘Cats went into the NCAA tournament ranked 21st in the nation and
advanced in the tournament. Sam Shropshire wrapped up his remarkable career by earning the Midwest Region’s Arthur Ashe, Jr. Award, presented yearly to a junior or senior who demonstrates outstanding sportsmanship, leadership and character, along with humanitarian accomplishments, scholastic achievements and athletic accomplishments. Shropshire also earned All-Big Ten honors for the fourth time. Strong Kircheimer concluded an outstanding career of his own with a 28-12 record, bringing his career singles wins total to 107, tied for second in program history in singles wins. He also ended his career ranked second in winning percentage (.748, 107-36). He is the all-time winningest doubles player in school history with 72 wins. Kirchheimer, Zieba and Shropshire were all named All-Big Ten. In 2020, the Wildcats finished in the top 30 in the ITA rankings and were trending toward a top 20 finish beating a top 10 team just prior to the season ending due to COVID. In 2021, the Wildcats again made the semi-finals of the Big Ten tournament and advanced at the NCAA tournament with a 4-1 win against UCLA. In 2022, the Wildcats reached a high ITA national ranking of #12, again made the semi-finals of the Big Ten Tournament and advanced at the NCAA tournament before losing by the score of 4-2 to NCAA team finalist Kentucky. Additionally, three players (Forman, Bratholm and Pickens) were named All Big Ten and Steven Forman lost in the Round of 32 at the NCAA Singles Championships.”
Prior to joining the collegiate coaching ranks, Klingemann starred for four years at Ohio State where he received a degree in communication. He helped lead the Buckeyes to three straight Big Ten regular season championships from 2005-07 and a pair of Big Ten tournament crowns in 2006 and 2007. Ohio State reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament three straight times (2005-07) during Klingemann's tenure in Columbus, Ohio. Klingemann was an Academic All-Big Ten selection in 2005 and on the court he earned All-Big Ten accolades in 2006 and 2007. As a senior in 2007, Klingemann was a team captain and voted the squad's most valuable player.
After playing at Ohio State, Klingemann played for over two years on the ATP Tour. While on the ATP circuit, Klingemann was ranked amongst the top-six ATP professionals in Canada and amongst the top 520 players in the world. Playing doubles, Klingemann won two Futures Tournament titles and advanced to the finals of a Challenger Tournament. He has a career-high doubles ranking of No. 480. Klingemann was also a singles finalist in one Futures Tournament and posted wins over four players who were each ranked in the top-200.
Klingemann made an instant impact upon arriving at the program for the 2011-12 season, taking the team back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years. The ‘Cats posted a record of 15-11, including a conference record of 7-4, their most conference wins in a season since 2001. The duo of Sidarth Balaji and Raleigh Smith took Northwestern back to the winner’s circle at the Big Ten Doubles Championship for the first time since 1985, with Smith also taking victory at the Big Ten Singles Championship for the ‘Cats’ first win since 1998.
2013 brought the team their first 20-win season since 1997, with the ‘Cats advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year with a 22-10 record. Both Raleigh Smith and Spencer Wolf received All-Big Ten Honors, with Smith and Sidarth Balaji setting the 7th highest doubles winning percentage in program history, going 16-5 (.761). The ‘Cats took their first victory in an NCAA Tournament game since 1998 with a 4-3 win over Wake Forest
The 2014 season saw the Wildcats reach the 20-win plateau for the second consecutive season, notching a record of 21-11, with 10 wins coming against ranked opponents. The season was highlighted by the emergence of Sam Shropshire, who burst onto the scene with 24 singles wins and an .828 singles winning percentage en route to being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year as well as the ITA Region IV Rookie of the Year. Along with Shropshire, Raleigh Smith earned All-Big Ten First Team honors and was also selected to compete in the NCAA Singles Championship as an at-large. Chicago's Big Ten Team posted its third straight 20-win season in 2015, going 21-10 in dual match play. The Wildcats posted their then-best conference mark under head coach Arvid Swan with an 8-3 record in Big Ten play, with the team reaching as high as 14th in the ITA national poll. Sam Shropshire and Strong Kirchheimer received Big Ten accolades in their sophomore seasons. Shropshire was a First Team All-Big Ten selection after a 23-13 season a 9-1 mark in the conference. Kirchheimer led the team in wins with 25 and was Second Team All-Big Ten. Klingemann was named the ITA Midwest Region Assistant of the year for the 2016 season, as Northwestern had its best season in program history to date in 2016, winning a school record 26 matches and hosting the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament as the No. 14 overall seed. The Wildcats reached as high as No. 7 in the national rankings during the regular season. The team finished second in the Big Ten with a 10-1 mark and won 13 times over top-50 national opponents. Konrad Zieba, Sam Shropshire and Strong Kirchheimer all earned First Team All-Big Ten honors, with Kirchheimer posting the 15th 30-win season in program history.
The Wildcats continued their winning ways in 2017, winning their first nine matches en route to a No. 7 national ranking. Northwestern won 22 matches on the year, including five wins over top-50 opponents. The ‘Cats went into the NCAA tournament ranked 21st in the nation and
advanced in the tournament. Sam Shropshire wrapped up his remarkable career by earning the Midwest Region’s Arthur Ashe, Jr. Award, presented yearly to a junior or senior who demonstrates outstanding sportsmanship, leadership and character, along with humanitarian accomplishments, scholastic achievements and athletic accomplishments. Shropshire also earned All-Big Ten honors for the fourth time. Strong Kircheimer concluded an outstanding career of his own with a 28-12 record, bringing his career singles wins total to 107, tied for second in program history in singles wins. He also ended his career ranked second in winning percentage (.748, 107-36). He is the all-time winningest doubles player in school history with 72 wins. Kirchheimer, Zieba and Shropshire were all named All-Big Ten. In 2020, the Wildcats finished in the top 30 in the ITA rankings and were trending toward a top 20 finish beating a top 10 team just prior to the season ending due to COVID. In 2021, the Wildcats again made the semi-finals of the Big Ten tournament and advanced at the NCAA tournament with a 4-1 win against UCLA. In 2022, the Wildcats reached a high ITA national ranking of #12, again made the semi-finals of the Big Ten Tournament and advanced at the NCAA tournament before losing by the score of 4-2 to NCAA team finalist Kentucky. Additionally, three players (Forman, Bratholm and Pickens) were named All Big Ten and Steven Forman lost in the Round of 32 at the NCAA Singles Championships.”
Prior to joining the collegiate coaching ranks, Klingemann starred for four years at Ohio State where he received a degree in communication. He helped lead the Buckeyes to three straight Big Ten regular season championships from 2005-07 and a pair of Big Ten tournament crowns in 2006 and 2007. Ohio State reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament three straight times (2005-07) during Klingemann's tenure in Columbus, Ohio. Klingemann was an Academic All-Big Ten selection in 2005 and on the court he earned All-Big Ten accolades in 2006 and 2007. As a senior in 2007, Klingemann was a team captain and voted the squad's most valuable player.
After playing at Ohio State, Klingemann played for over two years on the ATP Tour. While on the ATP circuit, Klingemann was ranked amongst the top-six ATP professionals in Canada and amongst the top 520 players in the world. Playing doubles, Klingemann won two Futures Tournament titles and advanced to the finals of a Challenger Tournament. He has a career-high doubles ranking of No. 480. Klingemann was also a singles finalist in one Futures Tournament and posted wins over four players who were each ranked in the top-200.
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