By Aidan O’Connor | Sports Writer
Growing up in Raleigh, N.C., Baylor men’s tennis head coach Michael Woodson had no interest in playing tennis until seventh grade, when his mom convinced him to pick up a spare racket and try out for the junior varsity team.
This moment changed his life forever.
“My dad had a big impact on my life … basically [from] birth [I was] surrounded by high-level professional sports,” Woodson said. “A lot of our lives, my mom and [I] revolved around traveling and seeing him play and just being on the road with him, so the exposure was great.”
With World Series Champion Tracy Woodson and second-grade teacher Maria Woodson Dann as his parents, Michael learned valuable lessons from a young age. His dad taught him how to excel in sports, while his mom showed him how to mentor others. Their influence shaped many of the core principles he still carries today.
“I started out at NC State, then I transferred to Valparaiso,” Woodson said. “I had three years to play at Valpo, and in my senior year, I was planning … to go to med school.”
At Valparaiso, Woodson racked up countless honors. He served as team captain and earned awards such as the Bill Steinbrecher Sportsmanship and the Laurel Award. Even with the success, he never thought about being involved in tennis after graduation. He had dedicated years to becoming a doctor, triple-majoring in chemistry, biology and exercise science. Any other path seemed impossible.
Then, everything changed.
“In November of my senior year, my mom was killed in a car accident, hit by a drunk driver, and so that really changed my path,” Woodson said. “I was pretty set on where I was, what I was going to do, where I was going to go, but when that happened, I didn’t know how I was going to handle it long term.”
Full of grief, the future he once envisioned now felt uncertain. The impact that Woodson’s mother had on him was immeasurable. The woman who used to write letters in his lunchbox, texted him constantly and danced with him to “Crocodile Rock” had been taken from his world. During the difficult period, Woodson put his future on hold and stayed as close to his loved ones as possible.
Then, former Valparaiso head coach Jim Daugherty called with an unexpected offer: an assistant coaching position.
“I didn’t know if it would be best for him,” Daugherty said. “He was No. 1 in his class academically. His dad was not happy with me at first because not only was he supposed to go to med school, but he probably would have become a top surgeon.”
Despite initial hesitation from everyone involved, Daugherty’s offer became the best path forward for Woodson.
“My coach at the time suggested that I stay and be his assistant coach … because he thought I would enjoy it,” Woodson said. “Plus, I would be able to get a master’s [degree] and would be where family was. Any of the options that I had moving forward [weren’t] going to be anywhere near family, and I really only felt super comfortable being in Raleigh or North Carolina, where I grew up, or in Valparaiso.
“At the time, my dad was a baseball coach there, so I had lots of people there that cared about me. So, yeah, I made the decision on a whim to stay and be the assistant.”
Woodson’s presence immediately helped Valparaiso. After a few years with him on staff, Valpo reached new heights, achieving its best record in school history (22-6) and its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016.
“I had the opportunity to come to Baylor in 2016, and I didn’t know much about [it],” Woodson said. “[Then-head coach] Matt Knoll gave me a call, I guess I was recommended by the Illinois staff. [They] flew me down here and offered me the job.”
Woodson worked as an assistant until his big shot came in the 2020-21 season. He was promoted to interim head coach and oversaw the Bears as they went 34-5 and were NCAA National Championship runners-up. That success secured him the full-time role in May 2021.
With the reins in hand, Woodson built a culture that broadened Baylor’s reach and appeal, helping recruit talent both locally and internationally.
“When Mike was messaging me, he was so kind,” sophomore Luc Koenig said. “[He] really supported me. When I was on the pro tour and when I visited, I saw the people around here, saw what they were like, a great Christian community. And I just knew that this was the place for me.”
Under Woodson’s leadership, Baylor has returned to national spotlight. He had reached 100 wins as a head coach and won multiple Big 12 Tournaments, solidifying the program’s status among the best in the country.
“I wanted to be a mentor like [my mom] to individuals,” Woodson said. “My main motivation for being at a place like Baylor is to have a platform to be able to speak about her and talk about her incredible impact and the type of person she was and to try to live out her legacy,”
By using his platform as a coach, Woodson keeps his mother’s memory alive. He shares her story, her lessons and her love with every player who comes through his program. In doing so, he ensures her spirit continues to inspire those around him — just as she always inspired him.
