Vaclav Burger was named the new head coach of the Engineers’ men’s tennis program in September 2026.
Burger brings a wide-ranging background in collegiate coaching, high-level competitive tennis, player development, and international business to Troy. Most recently, he served as an assistant coach with the University of California, Davis men’s tennis program from 2022-24, helping the Aggies capture a Big West Conference Championship while earning ITA Northwest Assistant Coach of the Year honors.
“Vaclav brings a competitive mindset and a breadth of experience that immediately stood out to us,” said RPI Director of Athletics Dr. Kristie Bowers at the time of his appointment. “He has competed at an elite level, helped coach a championship collegiate program, and built a professional career that has taken him around the world and well beyond the tennis court. That perspective matters at RPI. We want our student-athletes to pursue excellence in competition while developing the confidence, adaptability, and leadership skills that will serve them throughout their lives. Vaclav brings tremendous energy and ambition to that work, and we are excited for the vision he has for the future of RPI Men’s Tennis.”
Burger’s tennis background spans both the collegiate and professional levels. A former member of the University of California, Berkeley men’s tennis team, he later competed professionally and achieved a top-100 ranking among U.S. tennis professionals. He is also a USPTA Certified Teaching Professional, bringing extensive technical and developmental experience to the Engineers.
Prior to his collegiate coaching tenure at UC Davis, Burger spent several years teaching and developing players in a variety of settings across the United States and abroad. He served as assistant director, touring professional, and teaching professional at Stonegate Tennis Academy in Davis, California, before holding professional positions at several nationally recognized resort and tennis destinations. His experience includes serving as Head Tennis Professional at Mauna Lani Bay Resort, as well as teaching positions at Meadowood Resort and Spa, Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, and Desert Champions in Indian Wells.
Beyond tennis, Burger has developed an extensive professional background in marketing, hospitality, event management, business development, and international operations. His career has included work in the United States and abroad, with responsibilities ranging from managing major client portfolios and hospitality programs to event activations, project development, and international business initiatives. That breadth of experience provides Burger with a distinctive perspective on leadership, relationship building, communication, and adaptability.
Burger earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Berkeley, studying Political Economy of Industrial Societies with a focus in European Integration and a minor in Slavic Language and Literature. He later attended graduate-level courses in European Business at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland, with an emphasis on management, marketing, and finance.
