Roland Thornqvist

Last updated

Roland Thornqvist
Roland Thornqvist.jpg
Current position
Title Head coach
Team Wesleyan University
Conference New England Small College Athletic Conference
Record470–89 (.845)
Biographical details
Born (1970-03-03) March 3, 1970 (age 55)
Stockholm, Sweden
Playing career
1993–1996 University of North Carolina
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1997–1998 University of Kansas
1999–2001 University of North Carolina
2002–2024 University of Florida
2025–current Wesleyan University
Head coaching record
Overall545–139 (.797)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
NCAA (2003, 2011, 2012, 2017)
Southeastern Conference
(2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016)
Southeastern Conference Tournament
(2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016)
Awards
SEC Coach of the Year (2004, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2016)
ITA National Coach of the Year (2011)
Tennis career
Prize money$ 2,775
Singles
Highest rankingNo. 303 (22 Nov 1993)
Grand Slam singles results
US Open Q1 (1994)
Doubles
Highest rankingNo. 422 (11 Jul 1994)

Roland Thornqvist (born March 3, 1970) is a Swedish-born American college tennis coach and former college tennis player, who currently the head coach of the men's tennis team for Wesleyan University. He is best known for leading the Florida Gators women's tennis team of the University of Florida to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I national championships in 2003, 2011, 2012, and 2017.

Contents

Early years

Thornqvist was born in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1970.

College career

Thornqvist attended the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he played for the North Carolina Tar Heels men's tennis team from 1990 to 1993. He was recognized as a three-time first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) selection in 1991, 1992 and 1993, and a first-team All-American in 1993. [1] Thornqvist graduated from North Carolina with a bachelor's degree in economics in 1996. [1]

Coaching career

Thornqvist was the head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks women's tennis team at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas in 1997 and 1998. From 1999 to 2001, he was the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels women's tennis team at his alma mater, the University of North Carolina. [1]

In 2002, Thornqvist became the head coach of the Florida Gators women's tennis program at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. Since then, Thornqvist has been one of the top college tennis coaches in the country. His teams have qualified for the NCAA Tournament every year since he has been the head coach of the Gators. In 2003, 2011, 2012 and 2017, the Gators women's tennis team won the NCAA Division I National Championship. [1] Thornqvist's Gators have also finished second in the NCAA tournament in 2002 and 2010. [1]

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) named Thornqvist as its national Coach of the Year in 2011. [2]

Thornqvist retired from coaching Florida in 2024. In August 2025, he was named the head coach of the Wesleyan University men's tennis team. [3]

Coaching record

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Kansas Jayhawks (Big 12)(1997–1998)
1997Kansas 15–1410–32ndNCAA Second Round
1998Kansas 18–69–22ndNCAA Round of 16
Kansas:33–2019–5
UNC (Atlantic Coast Conference)(1999–2001)
1999UNC 16–93–54thNCAA Second Round
2000UNC 10–142–6NCAA First Round
2001UNC 16–76–2NCAA Second Round
UNC:42–3011–13
Florida Gators (Southeastern Conference)(2002–2024)
2002Florida 24–210–12ndNCAA Runner-Up
2003Florida 31–210–11stNCAA Champions
2004Florida 23–111–01stNCAA Second Round
2005Florida 22–39–2T-2ndNCAA Semifinals
2006Florida 25–211–01stNCAA Semifinals
2007Florida 24–310–11stNCAA Quarterfinals
2008Florida 24–311–01stNCAA Semifinals
2009Florida 16–107–44thNCAA Round of 16
2010Florida 29–311–01stNCAA Runner-Up
2011Florida 31–111–01stNCAA Champions
2012Florida 27–111–01stNCAA Champions
2013Florida 26–312–1T-1stNCAA Semifinals
2014Florida 23–611–2T-2ndNCAA Semifinals
2015Florida 24–412–11stNCAA Quarterfinals
2016Florida 23–313–01stNCAA Round of 16
2017Florida 29–311–2T-2ndNCAA Champions
2018Florida 19–911–2T-2ndNCAA Second Round
2019Florida 13–127–6T-6thNCAA Second Round
2020Florida 5–42–2T-4thCancelled due to COVID-19
2021Florida 13–810–32ndNCAA Second Round
2022Florida 21–710–3T-3rdNCAA Round of 16
2023Florida 18–89–43rdNCAA Round of 16
2024Florida 17–911–24thNCAA Second Round
Florida:507–107231–37
Wesleyan Cardinals (NESCAC)(2025–present)
2025Wesleyan 0–00–0——
Wesleyan:0–00–0
Total:582–157

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 GatorZone.com, Women's Tennis coaching & Support Staff, Roland Thornqvist. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Roland Thornqvist Named Wilson/ITA National Coach of the Year," GatorZone.com (June 8, 2011). Retrieved June 16, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Wesleyan University Names Roland Thornqvist Head Men's Tennis Coach". Wesleyan University. August 25, 2025.

See also

References

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