THE OFFICIAL ATHLETICS SITE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER

Byron Balkin enters his second year at the helm of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater men's and women's tennis programs in the Fall of 2026. In his first year with the program, Balkin coached the teams to second-place finishes in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference,

In 2025, Balkin oversaw Theo Billson earn an All-American from the NCAA for reaching the second round of the Individual National Championship, Billson was also named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-American Team. 

A 2015 UW-Whitewater graduate, Balkin returns to his alma mater with a strong record of leadership and competitive success. He most recently served as the head tennis coach at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia from 2018-25, where he led the program to the second-highest win total in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference over that span. At Hampden-Sydney, Balkin cultivated significant support from alumni and friends of the College for the tennis program, leading to major enhancements to the team’s facilities and resources. These improvements included the installation of the TowneBank Tennis Scoreboard, new stadium lighting and fencing at the tennis facility, resurfacing of the courts, and the acquisition of a new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van for team use. 

Prior to his time at HSC, Balkin spent eight years in Whitewater. From 2014-18, Balkin served as the assistant under longtime head coach Frank Barnes. Balkin was also a member of the Warhawk tennis team from 2010-14.

As an assistant for the Warhawk tennis program, Balkin helped guide UW-Whitewater to eight NCAA Division III tournament appearances and four Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles. He was named the Wilson/ITA Women's Tennis National Assistant Coach of the Year and the Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year (men's and women's) in 2016. That year, the UWW men's and women's teams advanced to the NCAA's Round of 16 while three singles players and a women's doubles team qualified for the NCAA Individual Championship. 

"The hiring of Byron Balkin will go down as a great move for Warhawk Tennis," added former Coach Frank Barnes.  "Coach Balkin understands the culture here at UWW and knows what it takes to win here. He bleeds purple and it was only a matter of time before he returned back home to his roots. A phenomenal athlete and coach while here, he went on to elevate the program at HSC to its first national ranking when given the opportunity to run his own program. He has all the tools necessary to bring the athletes here to their full potential."

Balkin was a standout on the court for the Warhawks. A three-time All-American, he holds the program’s all-time wins record with 173 combined singles and doubles victories during his exceptional four-year career. Balkin helped lead the Warhawks to four NCAA Division III Tournament appearances, highlighted by a Round of 16 finish in 2011. He also won two regional ITA regional doubles titles and made two individual appearances at the NCAA Championships, including a run to the doubles quarterfinals with teammate Jake Humphreys in 2014.
Balkin earned a bachelor's degree in integrated business and science and a Master's in higher education with an emphasis in athletic administration -- both from UW-Whitewater.  

Balkin oversees the Warhawk Summer Tennis Camps, which bring approximately 750 campers to Whitewater each summer. He also serves as a USTA Tournament Director in both Wisconsin and Virginia, directing Level 2–6 events and coordinating more than 1,000 junior matches annually.