Washburn University Athletics

Two-time MIAA Women’s Coach of the Year and former Ichabod tennis player Lance Lysaught enters his sixth season as the Washburn men’s and women’s head coach after being named to the position on May 14, 2014.

In his first five seasons at the helm of Ichabod tennis program, Lysaught has coached five players to nine all-American awards and 20 different players to 41 total all-MIAA selections. In the 2016-17 season, he guided Madeline Hill to an ITA Central Regional and National Championship title, the first woman in Washburn’s program history to do so in singles competition. Hill went on to be voted the MIAA Player of the year and Lysaught was recognized for his leadership and was named the MIAA Women’s Coach of the Year. Five ITA Central Region Championship titles have been won during his tenure as well as two MIAA Co-freshmen of the Year and two conference sportsmanship winners. He has also led successful players off the tennis courts. Thirty different student-athletes have been named to the all-MIAA academic honor roll tallying 51 overall selections in addition to 14 MIAA Scholar Athletes and four players who received the MIAA Academic Excellence Award for notching a perfect 4.0 GPA.

After five seasons, Lysaught has led the men’s team to a record of 57-33 overall and 14-23 in the MIAA while the women have gone 42-34 overall and 28-29 in conference play. In 2018, the men’s team finished 14-6 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinal match for the first time in program history.

Prior to joining Washburn, Lysaught started both the men’s and women’s tennis programs at Ottawa University where he held the role of head coach for two seasons (2012-2014). During his time at Ottawa, Lysaught led the Braves to several KCAC honors including a KCAC Freshman of the Year and the KCAC Newcomer of the Year on the men’s side and three Lady Braves players to KCAC honors in addition to the KCAC Freshman of the Year in 2013. His teams showed success in the classroom by earning several team and individual academic awards. Over the two seasons, he coached the women’s team to an 11-17 record while the men’s squad went 9-21 overall.

Before coaching at Ottawa, Lysaught was the Head Pro at the Topeka Country Club where he was in charge of scheduling practices and mentoring assistant tennis professionals on and off the court. He oversaw and facilitated the Elite Junior Program working with nationally ranked juniors and college players. Lysaught implemented the Missouri Valley USA Program. He also taught and organized junior and adult group drills and gave private lessons.

Before working at the Topeka Country Club, Lysaught was the head tennis professional for four years and the tennis director for one year at the Wood Valley Racquet Club in Topeka, Kan. While at Wood Valley, Lysaught, implemented a strength and conditioning program for high-level tennis players and taught and organized both adult and junior group and private lessons. He managed the tennis staff and prepared budget projections while coordinating the pro shop and maintaining inventory. Lysaught was in charge of the Missouri Valley Tournament Organization along with overseeing the summer tennis camps.

Lysaught graduated with a bachelor’s of arts in psychology with a minor in English from Washburn University in 1995. He also attended the Bethel Baptist Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minn. where he completed one year toward a master of divinity degree and finished at the top of his class in 2003. He has been certified by the United States Professional Tennis Association since 1997.

As a student athlete at WU, Lysaught was named the tennis team’s MVP. He played number one singles and was a two-time District 10 singles champion in 1989 and 1990 and the doubles champion in 1990. Lysaught was a NAIA national qualifier in both singles and doubles while he was at Washburn.

Lysaught and his wife, Alisa, have six children, Madison, Mallory, Madeline, Miriam, Caleb and Melanie and reside in Topeka, Kan. Madison is currently a senior and Madeline is a freshman on the Washburn tennis team.