Bronx, N.Y – Nika Kukharchuk was named Fordham University Men's Tennis Head Coach it was announced today by Director of Athletics Charles Guthrie.
 
"Nika is an exceptional addition to the Fordham Ramily," said Guthrie. "She has worked and succeeded at the nation's highest-regarded academic institutions and was part of great Ivy League tennis programs. Her experience in environments that heavily emphasize academic rigor and competitive excellence will serve her well as our new men's head tennis coach.  She has immense energy and passion, and is more than adept of bringing our program to a competitive level of respect within the A-10 Conference."
 
"I'm honored to be leading Fordham Men's Tennis, and grateful to Charles, Paul, and Coach Sowter for believing in me," said Kukharchuk. "I can't wait to get to know this team and grow this program together."
 
Kukharchuk arrives at Fordham after a standout year as an Assistant Women's Tennis Coach at Princeton University (2025-2026), where she helped engineer a dramatic turnaround in a single season, leading the Tigers to a share of the 2026 Ivy League Championship, an 18-3 overall record, and a top-40 year-end national ranking, while earning the No. 1 Northeast regional ranking. Her player development produced an NCAA Individual Championship qualifier, multiple All-Ivy honorees, and an ITA Most Improved Player in the Northeast Region.
 
Prior to Princeton, Kukharchuk spent three seasons (2022-2025) as an Assistant Women's Tennis Coach at Columbia University, where the Lions captured the 2024 ECAC Championship and reached a top-45 national year-end ranking. Kukharchuk's player development helped produce an Ivy League Player of the Year and a Northeast Rookie of the Year, as well as multiple All-Ivy players.
 
Before her stint at Columbia, Kukharchuk served as the primary travel coach for an elite junior player who, under her direction, rose to a top-25 ITF Junior world ranking, gained entry into junior Grand Slams - including reaching the doubles quarterfinals at Roland Garros - and won multiple events.
 
A standout player in her own right, Nika Kukharchuk competed professionally for 12 years (2008-2020), winning seven professional titles and reaching career-high world rankings of No. 371 in singles and No. 350 in doubles. In 2017, 2018, and 2019.
 
Kukharchuk is a Senior Tennis Professional at Grand Slam Tennis Club in Bedford, N.Y., where she has coached since 2013. Prior to Grand Slam, she served as tennis professional and travel coach at Hardscrabble Club in Brewster, N.Y. from 2008-2013.
 
Kukharchuk (née Koukhartchouk) was a standout student-athlete at The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), where she captained the team her senior year, played No. 1 singles and doubles, and helped the Rebels win the 2005 SEC Western Division Championship. She reached career-high rankings of No. 59 in singles and No. 26 in doubles, qualified for the 2008 NCAA Individual Championship in doubles. She earned a Bachelor's degree in Finance, cum laude, and completed her MBA - all within four years.
 
Prior to attending Ole Miss, Kukharchuk was ranked No. 3 nationally in 16-and-under division in Russia, where she was born.