Tammy Cecchini
Head Coach
Tammy Cecchini was named the Bucknell head women’s tennis coach in August of 2019. She is just the fourth head coach in the program’s 45-year history.
Cecchini’s first season, the 2019-20 campaign, was cut short due to the COVID-19 public health threat. The Bison, who finished 6-3, won five of their final six matches, with two of their victories coming by commanding 7-0 margins. They then went 5-5 in the spring of 2021, most notably scoring a 4-2 decision over rival Lehigh in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals and capturing regular-season wins over Patriot League foes Colgate and Loyola (Md.).
Following the abbreviated 2021 season, Daniela Bellini and Cayla Koch were recognized on the All-Patriot League Second Team; Bellini also earned a spot on the six-member Academic All-Patriot League Team.
In Cecchini's first full campaign as head coach, Bucknell went 12-10 (3-3 PL) in 2021-22. As rookies, Whitney King and Anna Lajos each posted singles winning percentage north of .700, finishing 18-3 and 17-7 respectively. King also teamed with Bellini for a sterling 22-5 doubles record, with all of their matches coming on the top court or in the top flight. Notably, their 22 victories were good for 10th in school history at the time.
Bellini, who went 5-0 at first singles during Patriot League dual action and scored a three-set victory in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals, was recognized on the 2022 All-Patriot League First Team and the 2022 Academic All-Patriot League Team. The three-time All-Patriot League pick and two-time Academic All-Patriot League Team member became the 17th Bison to eclipse the century mark in career combined singles and doubles victories despite having two of her four campaigns truncated by the COVID-19 pandemic; she graduated 11th in career doubles wins (55) and tied for 16th in career singles victories (50).
Cecchini came to Bucknell following a successful five-year stint at Valparaiso University. After spending the 2014-15 campaign as an assistant coach, she assumed head coaching duties the next season and guided the program to new heights.
In 2017-18, Valparaiso won a combined 73 singles and 38 doubles matches, representing its highest win total since 2006-07. Jelena Vujanic captured a Missouri Valley Conference title at No. 1 singles, which represented the school’s first MVC crown in any sport. In addition, Valparaiso earned six MVC weekly awards after totaling just three over the previous eight seasons.
Cecchini coached multiple student-athletes to MVC All-Select Team and MVC First Team Scholar-Athlete accolades. Her team was equally successful in the classroom. In 2017-18, it was one of five Valparaiso squads to earn an NCAA Academic Performance Rate Public Recognition Award. The year before, it combined for a stellar 3.71 team grade-point average, which led all Valparaiso programs.
From 2012 to 2014, Cecchini served as an assistant coach at Lehigh University. During that time, she also managed the Lehigh University Tennis Center.
A native of Bloomington, Minn., Cecchini earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the Pennsylvania State University in 1995. As a Nittany Lion, she played No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles for three seasons. The two-year team captain was also named the 1991 Atlantic 10 Freshman of the Year.
Cecchini later earned her MBA from Lehigh in 2002.
Cecchini and her husband Dave, the head football coach at Bucknell, have two sons: Evan and Will.
Bucknell Record: 23-18
Patriot League Record: 5-6
Patriot League Tournament Record: 1-2
- Three All-Patriot League nods
- Two Academic All-Patriot League honors