For his nearly 30-year coaching career, Azusa Pacific University men’s and women’s tennis coach Mark Bohren has made it a top priority to give Southern California juniors a chance to stay home and compete in their own backyard. 

“Being from Southern California it’s always been important to have SoCal players,” said Bohren of his Division II program. “I think we have our own little niche. A lot of players want to be in California and there are only a certain amount of spots in Division I. So there’s opportunities to play in California and Hawaii. We are smaller schools in size with 2,500 to 5,000 students. 

“I’ve always had SoCal kids,” Bohren said. “Even when I could have had better international kids. It was super important that these universities first have American kids. That’s how you keep your program relevant.” 

After another successful year that saw the Cougars achieve their first undefeated regular season (19-0), a program-record 23-match winning streak, and a third-straight PacWest championship, Bohren was notified he had been awarded Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II Coach of the Year. 

“I was at the NCAAs and we had just lost in the Round of 16s and someone told me I had won the award for Division II,” Bohren said. “I thought he was kidding and was just trying to make me feel better because we had just lost. To be recognized for all the hard work and understanding that it’s not just about winning but developing good players and having a good reputation in the classroom. For me personally, it was just such a nice of award to win and I am definitely honored to receive it.” 

Bohren, who was also named the 2024 West Region Coach of the Year and the PacWest Coach of the Year, said the award took away some of the sting of losing in the Round of 16 and not being able to win a national title with one of his strongest teams, which included his son Brody. 

“I told my team when the season started that we really don’t talk about winning,” Bohren said. “We talk about being good teammates and that they weren’t going to remember the won-loss records years from now anyways, but instead the memories they have and the journey. There’s a disappointment. It’s never easy to lose, but in the end I was extremely privileged to coach them.”

Bohren has led Azusa Pacific men to the national postseason in all 10 seasons (2015-23) in which the Cougars have competed as a full NCAA-member. In those nine postseason appearances, the Cougars have reached the national quarterfinals twice, and advanced to the national semifinals in 2018. During the past nine seasons, Azusa Pacific has won three PacWest conference titles, winning in 2018 and then going back-to-back in 2022 and 2023.

Bohren had an instrumental role in establishing the women’s program in 2015 and the Cougar women have gone 416-187 (.690) under his guidance.

“There was a huge learning curve coaching two teams with a lot of mistakes made along the way,” Bohren said. “The last five years I’ve had a really good idea how to deal with men and women differently. The way you practice and how much time you spend in the weight room. But you know, the girls recently have been like the guys were 10 years ago – just super athletic and super committed. The ladies want to be just as successful as the men.” 

Bohren played under longtime coach Jack Carter gaining his marketing degree from Azusa Pacific in 1993. He and his wife, Joelle, live in San Antonio Heights and Bohren was fortunate to coach both his sons Brody and Leyton last season on the same team after the Covid crisis gave Leyton an extra year of eligibility. 

 Bohren knows as a national coach of the year, there may be offers at some point in time for him to pick up and move on to a Division I coaching position. But it would take a unique and enticing offer for him to leave. 

“Being able to coach in Southern California is special to me,” Bohren said. “Would I move to Oklahoma to coach a Division I program or stay here? I would stay. I really like it here and our university. Every year is different of course. I’ve had some guys who have done well and played pro tennis, so it’s not like the level is that different. But if you’re super happy with what you’re doing it doesn’t make sense to move on. So, at this point I’m blessed to be at APU.”