Courtesy of Purdue Northwest Athletic Communications
HAMMOND, Ind. -- Purdue University Northwest Athletic Director Rick Costello has announced the hiring of Selenay Heper as the next head coach for the men's and women's tennis programs.
"I am thrilled to welcome Selenay Heper as the next head coach of the men's and women's tennis programs here at Purdue Northwest," said Rick Costello, Director of Athletics. "Selenay brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the tennis programs and will be a tremendous leader for the student-athletes. The Pride of PNW are excited to welcome back Selenay to Hammond."
Selenay served as the graduate assistant for the tennis programs at Purdue Northwest for two seasons. During that time, she coached and mentored the team in all settings: practices, fitness, recruitment, scouting and analysis.
As a student-athlete, Selenay competed for the University of Indianapolis on the women's tennis team for four years where she was honored as a team captain for two seasons and was part of two Great Lake Valley Conference Championships and three NCAA Midwest Regional Championships.
"I am very excited to be part of Purdue Northwest Tennis," said Heper. "Thank you to Rick Costello and Chancellor Chris Holford for giving me this opportunity. I am looking forward to achieving great things this season and beyond!"
Selenay, a native of Turkey, returns to Purdue Northwest after serving as a college recruiting agent with SH College Recruiting. In addition to working with Turkish athletes, she also served as a tennis pro and coached for XS Tennis and Education Foundation located in Chicago, Illinois.
While at SH, Heper was instrumental in providing personalized guidance and counseling to tennis players and their families, connecting prospective athletes to all levels (D1, D2, D2, NAIA and JUCO) while working hard to make the cultural transition seamless for both athletes and families alike.
As a tennis pro, Heper instructed and coached a variety of age levels: pre-academy, high school and high performance, both in group and private lesson settings while evaluating players daily and creating practice plans for each session.
Selenay earned her bachelor's degree in sports management at the University of Indianapolis in 2017 and received her master's degree in communication and media from Purdue Northwest in 2020.
