Augustana University Athletics

Entering his 20th season at Augustana in 2023-2024, Kurtz has compiled a 294-55 record on the women’s side and a 102-167 on the men’s side. The Viking women have gone undefeated in each of the past 13 NSIC regular seasons, including 12-straight NSIC Tournament Championships and 13 NSIC regular season championships.

During the 2023 season, Coach Kurtz led the Viking women to their 13th-straight NSIC Regular Season Title and 12th consecutive NSIC Tournament title. Augustana clinched it's 150th-straight NSIC regualr season match victory in 2023. The women went 21-4 where the Vikings ranked within the top-25 for the majority of the season. Augustana clinched a spot into the NCAA Central Regional advancing to the second round of play in Topeka, Kansas, ultimately falling to Washburn.

Coach Kurtz saw Florentia Hadjigeorgiou named the NSIC Player of the Year while Senem Ocal was tabbed as Freshman of the Year. Kurtz saw Hadjigeorgiou, Ocal and Aleksandra Kistanova secured spots on the all-conference singles first-team while Laura Arce Vieyra garnered a second team singles selection. Hadjigeorgiou and Kistanova also secured first-team selections for doubles while Arce Vieyra and Gabriela Jancikova landed all-conference doubles second-team accolades. 

For the Viking men, Kurtz led Tyson Cowger to be the first Viking in program history to be tabbed as the MIAA/GAC Tennis Player of the Week. Kurtz also helped lead Henry Dornbusch to his first ever weekly accolade while also being named MIAA/GAC Honorable Mention. 

In 2022, Kurtz led the women’s team to their 12th-straight NSIC Regular season title and 11th consecutive NSIC Tournament title. The Vikings continued the NSIC match regular season win-streak to 140 straight. The women went 21-2 in a season where the Vikings were ranked within the top-25 the majority of the season, with the first ITA rankings having Augustana No. 16, a program-best national ranking. Augustana hosted a pod of the NCAA Central Region, ultimately falling to Washburn. Kurtz saw Monko repeat as NSIC Player of the Year, along with additional Vikings earning NSIC All-Conference honors. Monko joined Florentia Hadjigeorgiou and Laura Arce Vieyra on the singles first team. Gabriela Jancikova and Alexsandra Kistanova were selected on the single's second team. Augustana also had two teams named to NSIC All-Conference honors in doubles with Florentia Hadjigeorgiou and Valeriya Monko being joined by Laura Arce Vieyra and Gabriela Jancikova on the first team.

On the men’s side in 2022, the Vikings went 7-9 in their first season competing in the MIAA.

In 2021, Kurtz led the women’s team to their 11th straight NSIC regular season title and 10th consecutive NSIC Tournament title. The Vikings have won 129 straight regular season NSIC matches under Kurtz’s tenure. The women’s team held an 18-3 record, while going 11-0 in conference play and ended the season at the central region against Washburn. Kurtz coached Valeriya Monko to her first NSIC Freshman of the Year and NSIC Player of the Year award. Laura Arce Vierya, Florentia Hadjigeorgiou, and Valeriya Monko all earned NSIC All-Conference first team honors in singles and doubles with Grace Goble also earning NSIC All-Conference in doubles. Margarita Chouliara earned NSIC All-Conference second team honors in singles. Aleksandra Kistanova and Emily Granson earned NSIC All-Conference second team honors in doubles. Grace Goble and Aleksandra Kistanova both earned NSIC All-Conference honorable mention in singles. 

On the men’s side in 2021 Kurtz led the team to a record of 4-8.

In 2020, Kurtz led the women’s team to an undefeated regular season going 13-0. The Vikings have won 118 straight regular season NSIC matches under Kurtz’s tenure. Kurtz saw two athletes achieve a perfect NSIC record in Aleksandra Kistanova and Anca Rusu. Rusu and teammate Taylor Jackson also had a perfect record in doubles play. Remainder of the season was cut short for the Vikings due to COVID-19.

On the men’s side in 2020 Kurtz led the team to a record of 3-6. Remainder of the season was cut short for the Vikings due to COVID-19.

In 2019, Kurtz led the women's team to their 10th straight NSIC regular season title and ninth consecutive NSIC Tournament title. The Vikings have won 110 straight regular season NSIC matches under Kurtz's reign. Kurtz guided his women's team to a 19-3 record and ended the season at the Central Regional against Northwest Missouri State. Kurtz coached Kornelia Staniszewska to her fourth straight NSIC Player of the Year Award. One of two student-athletes in NSIC Women's Tennis history to be named player of the year all four seasons (Michele Bailey, Winona State 2004-07). Laura Arce Vieyra earned Freshman of the Year honors to become the fifth Viking to win the honor. Staniszewska and Arce Vieyra earned NSIC all-conference first-team honors in singles and doubles play. Taylor Jackson earned second team honors while Grace Goble earned third team honors in singles action. Jackson and Anca Rusu earned second team all-conference honors in doubles while Goble and Annika Teske earned third-team honors in doubles play. Staniszewska earned Central Region ITA Senior Player of the Year honors after going a perfect 18-0 in singles and 20-0 in doubles.

In 2018, Kurtz led the women's team to their ninth straight NSIC regular season title and eighth consecutive NSIC Tournament title. The Vikings have won 99 straight regular season NSIC matches under Kurtz's regin. Kurtz guided his women's team to a 21-4 recorded and ended the season at the Central Regional against Oklahoma Baptist. Kurtz was named the NSIC Coach of the Year for the sixth straight season and his eighth career time earning the award. Kurtz coached Kornelia Staniszewska to her third straight NSIC Player of the Year Award. Berkley Darr, Staniszewska and Taylor Jackson earned NSIC all-conference first-team honors in singles play while Grace Goble earned second team all-conference in singles play and Annika Teske tabbed honorable mention honors. Staniszewska, Darr, Jackson and Kaitlyn Schultz each picked up doubles first-team all-conference honors. Anca Rusu and Goble were selected to the doubles honorable mention team. Staniszewska also earned Oracle/ITA Division II All-American honors in singles for the third straight year.

On the men's side in 2019 Kurtz led the team to a record of 9-10 on the season. Tied for their highest win total while Kurtz has been coach. 

In 2018 Kurtz led the team to a record of 7-9 on the season. Their highest win total since the 2016 season in which they won nine matches. 

In 2017, Kurtz led the women's team to their eighth straight NSIC regular season title and their seventh consecutive NSIC tournament title. The Vikings have won 88 straight regular NSIC matches under Kurtz's reign. Kurtz guided his women's team to a 16-6 record and ended the season at the Central Regional against SE Oklahoma State. Kurtz was named the NSIC Coach of the Year for the fifth straight season and his seventh career time earning the award. Kurtz coached Kornelia Staniszewska to her second straight NSIC Player of the Year Award and Taylor Jackson to the NSIC Freshman of the Year. Staniszewska, Jackson and Berkley Darr each earned first team All-NSIC honors in both singles and doubles. Meredith Lawrence earned first team All-NSIC in doubles and second team in singles and Christine Olivo earned honorable mention in singles. Staniszewska also earned Oracle/ITA Division II All-American honors in singles for the second straight year.

On the men's side, Kurtz led the team to a record of 6-8 on the season. The highlight of the season came on Feb. 8 when the team knocked off South Dakota State, 5-4. It was Kurtz's men's team's first win over a Division I program while he's been the Augustana head coach. 

2016 was a season to remember for Kurtz after leading the women to a 25-2 record and the men to a 9-9 record. Kurtz earned multiple awards and sent multiple athletes to the national championships. Kurtz was named the Wilson/ITA Coach of the Year for the first time in his career. He also helped guide Kornelia Staniszewska to ITA Rookie of the Year honors and Jessa Richards to ITA/Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship honors.

In the Fall of 2015-16 season Kurtz coached Richards and Staniszewska to a USTA/ITA Central Region title and a spot in the ITA National Championship. At the national championships they took fifth-place.

In the spring of 2015-16 the women’s team made their seventh straight trip to the NCAA Tournament after earning an auto bid for winning the conference tournament. They defeated Northwest Missouri State in the first round.

For the fourth consecutive year Kurtz coached the NSIC Player of the Year after Staniszewska won the award as a freshman. Kurtz was honored for another perfect season in the NSIC with the Coach of the Year award and saw Jessa Richards earn the program's first Senior of the Year award since 2011.

Kurtz led a talented roster in 2016 that produced six All-NSIC members. Sydney Postal, Richards and Staniszewska each earned first team honors, Berkley Darr earned second team honors and Meredith Lawrence and Christine Olivo earned honorable mention honors in singles play. In doubles action Kurtz led the team of Staniszewska/Richards and Postal/Darr to first team honors and Lawrence/Motley to second team honors. Lawrence, Motley and Richards also earned Academic All-NSIC honors.

On the women’s side, the Vikings’ 21-4 record was good enough to take home their NSIC regular-season title for a sixth straight year along with their fifth straight NSIC Tournament crown. Augustana continued to build on its impressive unbeaten streak in NSIC play, going 11-0 to up their streak to 67 matches in conference play without a loss. The continued winning streak allowed for Kurtz to pick up his fifth straight NSIC Coach of the Year selection in the league. The Vikings also made their sixth straight NCAA Championship appearance.  

With the continued success of Augustana on the court, Kurtz saw for a third straight season the selection of one of his players as NSIC Player of the Year in Jessa Richards. The Eden Prairie, Minn. native was a force on the court for the Vikings, earning All-NSIC first-team honors in both singles and doubles play. Richards posted a 17-4 record in singles play, including running through the NSIC with a 10-0 record.

Richards was one of six Augustana players to earn All-NSIC honors, joining Sydney Postal (first team), Berkley Darr (second team), Christine Olivo (second team), Jenna Helleberg (second team), and Meredith Lawrence (honorable mention). Darr also became the second player under Kurtz’s guidance to be named NSIC Freshman of the Year, joining Richards, who received the honor back in 2013.

On the men’s side, the Vikings posted its best season in program history, going 8-8, the first time in program history the team has gone at least .500 in a year.

With a 25-2 overall mark in 2014, the Vikings broke the school record for wins in a season and cruised to their fifth straight NSIC regular season title and fourth consecutive NSIC Tournament crown. En route to their two titles, Kurtz hit two milestones while guiding his athletes to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight season and a program-best No. 30 ranking in the ITA national poll.

With a 9-0 shutout of Southwest Minnesota State on Feb. 21, 2014, Kurtz recorded his 100th career victory at Augustana, One month later, the Vikings reeled off their 50th consecutive regular season victory over a conference opponent when they defeated Bemidji State 9-0 on March 23.

For the second straight season and fourth time in five years, Kurtz collected the NSIC Coach of the Year award in 2014. Adding to his personal trophy case, Kurtz was named ITA Central Region Coach of the Year and he guided Katie Jesperson to the ITA Central Region Senior of the Year award.

Jesperson finished her storied career for Kurtz with eight All-NSIC appointments and two NSIC Player of the Year awards in 2013 and 2014. Jessa Richards joined Jesperson on the all-conference first team in both singles and doubles. As the top Viking doubles pairing, Jesperson and Richards went 25-0, reached the finals of the ITA Region Double Championships, and finished the season ranked No. 2 in the region.

Six total Vikings received All-NSIC recognition with each of the three doubles pairings grabbing the honors and five of the six singles players receiving all-conference citations. Three singles players and two doubles pairings went undefeated against NSIC competition, solidifying their dominance over the conference.

The Vikings appeared in their fifth straight NCAA Tournament, hosting a regional as the No. 2 seed where they shut out Emporia State to advance to the round of 32. Augustana was then handed its first Division II loss of the season – their only other loss came at the hands of Division I St. Joseph’s – when they were defeated 5-3 by Northeastern State.

Under Kurtz, the Vikings have surpassed 20 wins on four occasions, reaching that total in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014.

Kurtz led the Vikings to a near sweep of the NSIC awards in 2013 with Jesperson collecting player of the year, Richards earning the first-ever freshman of the year award for a Viking, and himself grabbing his third conference coach of the year appointment.

In 2011, in just his third year as head coach, Kurtz took the Vikings to the NCAA Round of 16 for the first time in school history.

Augustana successfully defended its NSIC crown and defeated Nebraska-Kearney to earn a place on the national stage. At the conclusion of the 2011 campaign, Augustana was listed 28th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association national rankings. It is the highest national ranking in program history.

In addition to coaching at Augustana, Kurtz is the tennis director at GreatLife Fitness Center in Sioux Falls, where he is a certified tennis professional with the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA). During the summer months he serves as the tennis director at Minnehaha Country Club. He is a member of the Sioux Falls Tennis Association board, and is on the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Central Region ranking committee for women.

Kurtz earned four letters competing in tennis in the top three single positions and top two doubles for Montana State University-Billings. His high school career at Miles City, Mont., included team MVP honors as a junior and senior. Following his senior year he was chosen to play for a US junior team competing against a British squad during Wimbledon.

He earned his BA at Montana State with majors in business management and marketing.