Erin Kolar was named head coach of the women's tennis team at Trine before the 2015-16 season and assumed the lead of both tennis programs when she was named the head coach of the men's tennis team during the summer of 2016.
During her tenure she has taken both programs to new heights, while cementing herself into the program record books. She enters this season with a combined record of 210-175, sitting at 104-79 with the men’s team and 106-96 with the women.
The turnaround began in the 2017-18 season when both teams ended MIAA Tournament droughts. The men made their first appearance in the tournament since 2011, while the women made their first since 2007. The men’s team has reached the postseason every year since, while the women have missed out just once. In addition, since the 2020-21 season, both programs have never failed to reach double-digit win totals or to finish with at least a .500 record.
Kolar led men’s tennis to the first MIAA Championship in either program’s history. That squad finished with a 14-5 overall record, then the most wins in by the team since joining the NCAA, while going 6-1 in MIAA play. They ended the season in a three-way tie atop the standings, securing the regular season title. The women’s team had their best finish in 2020-21 when they secured third in the MIAA standings with a 6-2 record, going 15-5 overall. In 2025-26, the team’s both set program NCAA single-season win records. The men went 15-7 while the women finished 16-6.
Since taking the helm, Kolar has had student-athletes earn 22 All-MIAA selections, 14 on the men’s side and eight on the women’s. She has had nine first team selections and 13 second team. Five of her men’s student-athletes have earned the MIAA’s Lawrence Green Scholar-Athlete Award, given to a senior who lettered for at least two years while demonstrating exceptional academic and athletic achievement. Two women have earned the Karen Caine Scholar-Athlete Award, the equivalent award for women given by the MIAA.
“My vision for the student-athletes is to ‘make a difference’ — on the court, in the classroom and wherever they are present, and to carry that mentality with them after college into their job, their family and their life,” said Kolar when she took over as men’s head coach, “I’m looking forward to continuing my role as women’s coach, but I am also looking forward to my role as men’s coach. I think the approach to practices and match play will differ slightly, but one thing will remain constant; I want them to ‘make a difference.’”
Kolar initially joined the Trine tennis programs as an assistant coach in the spring of 2015. She was named head women's tennis coach in June 2015. Kolar brings a high level of enthusiasm for the game of tennis and a strong instruction and playing pedigree to the Thunder tennis programs.
Kolar was a four-time All-GLIAC performer between 1996-99 while attending Northwood University in Midland, Mich. She was ranked as high as 31st in NCAA Division II in doubles and as high as 62nd in the nation in singles. Kolar played no. 1 singles and was part of the no. 1 doubles pairing all four years of her collegiate career.
Upon graduating, Kolar continued to compete in local USTA tournaments and competed for European clubs in the Czech Republic and Germany. She has been a certified USPTA instructor since 2000.
A native of Union City, Mich. Kolar graduated from Northwood University in 2000 with a B.A. in Marketing and Management. She is married to Marek Kolar, a professor in the Ketner School of Business at Trine. The Kolars have two children- Mikaela and Evan.
