Women's Tennis | 7/30/2026 2:30:00 PM

July 30, 2026-Emporia State Director of Tennis John Blackburn will add the women's head coach to his duties.
 
"I'm so honored to lead our women's team," said Blackburn. "I've been impressed with the strong team culture, hard work ethic, and steady improvement of the team from the hard work of the players and Cycy Peyroche these past four years."
 
Blackburn just completed his third year as the Director of Tennis and head men's coach at Emporia State. The Hornets have gone 29-25 overall with a 13-5 record at home under his guidance.  He has coached four all-MIAA performers in three seasons, highlighted by Anton Sarunic earning the second-team honors in singles this past season. Off the court the Hornet men earned ITA Team Academic Honors for the second straight year and finished fifth in the nation in the Helper Helper Community Service Challenge. 
 
"I am excited we have someone with John's resume available to take over our women's program," said Rodecap. "With CyCy leaving in late July, we evaluated all of our options and sometimes the best option is right in front of you."
 
Blackburn spent eight seasons as the head coach at NCAA Division III Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C. He went 117-58 overall with a 54-4 record in conference play. The Monarchs won three regular season conference championships, two conference tournament championships and made two NCAA Tournament appearances under his leadership. He was named the USA South Women's Tennis Coach of the Year following the 2017 campaign.  This past season MU went 13-6 with an 8-1 mark in conference play as they advanced to the USA South Tournament Championship. He coached a total of 34 all-conference players at MU, including 16 first-team selections.

Prior to his time at Methodist, Blackburn was the head coach at Eastern Illinois University from 2005 to 2015. He was the head men's coach from 2005-13 before becoming the Director of Tennis and coaching the women only from 2013-15.  The Panthers earned their first-ever NCAA Division I Top 75 national rankings in 2008 and again in 2014. In his last three seasons at Eastern Illinois, the women were 37-19 and reached the semifinals of the conference tournament in two of those three seasons. He was named Ohio Valley Conference Women's Coach of the Year in 2015. He is the winningest coach in Eastern Illinois women's history and fourth winningest men's coach.

Prior to his stop at EIU, he was the head women's tennis coach at Coker College from 2002-2005. While at Coker, his women's teams rose three positions in the conference standings each season. His first head coaching position was at Palm Beach Atlantic University from 1999-2002. His women's teams earned the program's first-ever NAIA national ranking, first-ever bid to the national championships, and advanced to the NAIA National Championships in each of his three years as head coach. The Sailfish men earned their first ever national ranking under Blackburn's leadership.
 
"I'm very excited about what our returning players and incoming freshman can do this year and in the future together," said Blackburn. "I can't wait to get started!"
 
THE BLACKBURN FILE
At Emporia State
2024-present
Men's Head Coach
29-25 overall
MIAA/GAC Tournament Qualifier
 
At Methodist
2015-23
Women's Head Coach
117-58 overall, 54-4 in conference play
3x USA South regular season champions
2x USA South tournament champions
2x NCAA Tournament qualifier
2017 USA South Coach of the Year

At Eastern Illinois
2013-15
Director of Tennis/Women's Head Coach
Winningest coach in EIU women's history
2015 OVC Coach of the Year
2005-13
Men's and Women's Head Coach
4th winningest coach in EIU men's history
Men finished third in OVC in 2008

At Coker
2002-05
Men's and Women's Head Coach
Led men to best conference finish in school history

At Palm Beach Atlantic
1999-2002
Men's and Women's Head Coach
Women -
    3x NAIA National Tournament qualifier
Men -
    First National Top 25 ranking