Nike Adult Tennis Camp Featuring Brad Gilbert at Pepperdine University

A California native, Gilbert played professionally 1982-95, winning 20 titles and reaching the finals of 20 other events. An All American and the NCAA singles finalist in 1982 while at Pepperdine, he went on to compile an overall 519-288 record. From 1985-91, he finished in the top 20 six of seven years, including two consecutive years in the top 10 (1989 – #6, 1990 – #10), and was ranked as high as #4 (during the 1990 season). His best Grand Slam performances were quarterfinal appearances at the US Open in 1987 and at Wimbledon in 1990. Gilbert won the Bronze Medal at the 1988 Olympics in South Korea and had a 10-5 Davis Cup record.

After his playing career ended, Gilbert coached Andre Agassi for eight years (1994 – 2002). During that time, Agassi won six Grand Slam titles and an Olympic Gold Medal and reached #1 in the world for the first time in his career. Gilbert later coached Andy Roddick to a US Open title in 2003 and the top spot in the rankings.

Gilbert’s web site, bradgilberttennis.com, has everything from his thoughts on the top players and emerging new talent, technique tips and suggestions on where to eat on the tour.

Schaechterle was previously the associate head coach at the University of Notre Dame and has also spent time at the helm of the University of North Florida and assisted at his alma mater Northwestern University.

“We are extremely excited that Adam has agreed to join our Pepperdine family as our men's tennis head coach,” said Pepperdine Athletic Director Dr. Steve Potts said at the time of hiring. “He is a perfect fit for every aspect of our program and I have great confidence in his ability to lead our men's tennis program back to a championship level. We are looking forward to welcoming Adam and his family to our community.”

Pepperdine has made 38 NCAA Tournament appearances, including a 2006 national championship and runner-up finishes in 1982 and 1986. The Waves have also had two doubles pairs take home the NCAA doubles championship crown in 1984 and 1985. In singles, Robbie Weiss won an NCAA singles title in 1988, while the Waves have finished as runner-up on two other occasions.

“I want to thank Dr. Steve Potts and President Benton for the opportunity to lead the Pepperdine men’s tennis program,” said Schaechterle. “Pepperdine tennis has an incredible tradition, and it’s a dream come true for me and my family to be part of that legacy. We look forward to building a program that represents the values of the University and that competes for championships.”

At Notre Dame between 2013 and 2018, Schaechterle helped lead the team to its first NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance since 2007, its first two National Indoors appearances since 2008 and the second-highest year-end ranking since 1992. While there, the team posted an 82-63 overall record in five seasons, including a 21-10 record in 2014 en route to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. This season, the team finished with a 19-14 record and reached the NCAA second round. He also coached the first singles player in Notre Dame history to reach the NCAA singles semifinals and the second doubles pair to reach the NCAA doubles semifinals since 1994. He also was selected as the United States Tennis Association Men’s Collegiate National Team Coach for the 2017-18 campaign.

Prior to his tenure with the Fighting Irish, he was the head coach for the University of North Florida from 2011-13. He led the squad to its first undefeated Atlantic Sun regular season, the first appearance in the Atlantic Sun Tournament final and to many team, singles and doubles year-end rankings.

He was named Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year in 2013. While at the helm of the Ospreys, the team went 35-14 overall through two seasons, including a 19-6 record and an ASUN championship match appearance in 2012.

Schaechterle graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., in 2006. After a brief stint working for Wilson Sporting Goods as a Tour and Juniors Manager in America from 2007-10, he returned to his alma mater to take up coaching at the collegiate level, where he was mentored by head coach Arvid Swan.

In his time as a player, Schaechterle led his team to the 2005 NCAA Tournament, was a team captain and ranked in the top-30 of the ITA’s national doubles rankings at the end of the season. He was an ITA regional doubles finalist and recorded the most doubles wins in program history (this record was broken in 2017), while also earning the 2006 Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award.

During his first stop in Malibu, Nilsson helped lead the Pepperdine men to the 2006 NCAA championship.

"I am so excited for Per's return to Pepperdine to lead our women's tennis program," said Director of Athletics Steve Potts upon his hiring. "Per has enjoyed great success all along his coaching career and I am confident that he will be able to take our very successful program to even greater heights. Per's commitment to our Christian mission, to the academic well-being of our student-athletes and to competing for championships at the highest level make him a great fit for Pepperdine."

After leaving Pepperdine in 2007, Nilsson spent the last seven seasons coaching the men's squad at his alma mater, Mississippi State. There he compiled a record of 95-76 while going 36-42 in the tough Southeastern Conference. He led the Bulldogs to back-to-back SEC West titles in 2011 and 2012 and brought MSU to four-straight NCAA Tournaments from 2011-14.

Nilsson takes over for Escudero, who has been at the helm for 37 seasons beginning in 1977-78. He stepped down at the end of the 2013-14 campaign, but will remain on staff as the associate head coach. Nilsson inherits a team that has made 27 consecutive NCAA Tournaments and captured the West Coast Conference championship for the 24th time in 2014 while earning a final national ITA ranking of #24.

In his seven seasons in Starkville, Miss., Nilsson's squads produced four ITA All-Americans and 17 All-SEC selections.

His eye for recruiting and developing young talent is evident as a Mississippi State player garnered SEC Freshman of the Year honors in three of the last four seasons. In 2013, Romain Bogaerts not only took the conference's top rookie award, he was also honored as the ITA National Freshman of the Year.

Nilsson first brought the Bulldogs to the NCAA Championship in 2011, their first appearance since 2005, and MSU advanced to the second round. After reaching the second round again in 2012, Nilsson's young 2013 team eclipsed expectations and advanced to the NCAA Championship round of 16 for the first time since 2001. Mississippi State made their fourth-consecutive appearance at the tournament in 2014 and reached the second round.

Nilsson has racked up the honors for himself as well throughout his time at MSU, including an SEC Coach of the Year honor in 2011 and two ITA Southern Region Coach of the Year honors in 2011 and 2013.

In the classroom, Nilsson's teams have been just as dominant. MSU has been named an ITA All-Academic team for the past five seasons, producing 40 Academic All-SEC selections and 29 ITA Scholar-Athlete selections. Nilsson has also had two players named Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.

Nilsson was an assistant coach for the Pepperdine men's tennis team from 2003-07 under head coach Adam Steinberg, where the Waves went 119-38 in those five seasons.

Easily highlighting his resume while in Malibu was the 2006 campaign when Pepperdine claimed its first-ever national championship. Nilsson was very involved in Pepperdine's recruiting efforts leading up to that season, which saw the Waves post a 36-2 record and hand Georgia its only loss of the season in the NCAA title match at Palo Alto, Calif.

Leading up to that crowning season, Pepperdine improved from #27 in the country in 2004 to #8 nationally in 2005, a year in which Nilsson was named the ITA's West Region Assistant Coach of the Year. The Waves advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals that campaign, ending at 24-3.

Nilsson played collegiately at Mississippi State from 1992-94 and helped the Bulldogs earn three consecutive top-10 finishes in the rankings. MSU reached the round of 16 at the NCAA Championship in 1992 and 1993 before reaching the semifinals in 1994.

Serving as team captain during his senior year, Nilsson is ranked #6 on the Bulldogs' all-time career victory list in both singles and doubles.

Nilsson was a student assistant coach at Mississippi State during the 1994-95 season before working as a tennis professional at the Capital City Country Club and St. Marlo Country Club. From 1998-2000, he was the Director of Tennis at Appalachee Farms.

A native of Lund, Sweden, Nilsson was a high school exchange student at Jackson (Miss.) Academy and was the 1990 Mississippi Academy singles champion. He is married to the former Beth Vennerstrom.