Caroline Wheelen - Women's Tennis Coach - Florida Atlantic University Athletics

Caroline Wheelen

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
cwheelen@fau.edu
Phone:
602-793-6683

Caroline (Hora) Wheelen returned to South Florida in July of 2016 as Florida Atlantic University’s assistant women’s tennis coach and returned to the head coaching position in the summer of 2019.

She brings more than 20 years of professional tennis instruction to the Owls, including a head coaching stint with the FAU women’s tennis program. Wheelen, who was the last head coach to guide FAU to a conference title and NCAA appearance, was a part of the coaching staff that guided the Owls back to national prominence with the tutelage of Aliona Bolsova, who climbed to a No. 2 national ranked and ended her only season at FAU before turning professional with a NCAA Tournament National invite and a No. 6 ranking in 2018. In 2019, Wheelen teamed with then head coach Marcy Cava, her sister, to guide the Owls to a No. 66 rank and did so with five members joining the squad in January of the same year.

In 2020, the first under Wheelen's sole direction, the Owls built an 8-3 mark before the season was halted due to the coronavirus. The Owls were well on their way with 2019 Freshman of the Year Martina Kudelova leading the way. Kudelova's sophomore campaign ended with a 12-9 overall record after participating in many of the country's top Fall tournaments. Perhaps the brightest star was Natalie Kallmunzerova, who tallied a 10-0 dual match mark before the season came to an abrupt end. She powered through the summer bringing in an assistant coach and building and instruction schedule through the remote study COVID-19 period while immersing her team in community service. At year's end, Wheelen was named the UTR Women's Collegiate Coach of the Year.

The 2021 Spring season saw the Owls complete their fourth full season under Wheelen's direction and the four time, in as many chances, that Wheelen has led the Owls to double-digit wins, despite limited schedule opportunities. Wheelen guided the Owls to a 10-7 mark and led FAU to the C-USA semifinal round. At the championships conclusion, sophomore Radka Buzkova and sophomore transfer Katerina Filip were named Second Team All-Conference.

Most recently, Wheelen instructed dozens of private clients that included women’s interclub teams, juniors and private players of all levels including wheelchair tennis clients in Glendale, Arizona. She moved into that position after her work as a tennis professional at Arrowhead Country Club in Glendale. Wheelen held the Arrowhead position from 2008-13 where she was responsible for league organization, team practices, social and charity events. She coached at all levels, including ladies interclub teams, competitive juniors, adult tournament players and beginners and tots. While serving as an FAU assistant, Wheelen also currently assists her sister not only at FAU but also at The Seagate Country Club.

Wheelen’s 12-year career in Arizona was preceded by a three-year position as Florida Atlantic’s head women’s tennis coach from 2000-03. With Wheelen at the helm of the Owls, the squad was ranked in the country’s top 70 each season and she was named the 2003 Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year. That same 2003 season, Wheelen guided the program to its first NCAA postseason appearance after collecting the program’s first conference title. She concluded her three-year career as a collegiate coach at FAU with a 45-23 record, a .657 win percentage. Wheelen’s team was led by two-time A-Sun Player of the Year Alena Dvorakova, who accumulated 90 singles and 67 doubles victories.

Prior to FAU, Wheelen worked one year at the Boca Raton Resort & Club as a tennis professional. The previous summer she worked as the assistant director of tennis at the Meadow Club of Southampton, in Southampton, New York. She moved to New York, leaving a tennis professional position at Broken Sound Tennis Club in Boca Raton. The previous summer, Wheelen was the tennis club manager and professional at an exclusive private tennis club in Vienna, Austria.

Prior to embarking on her professional coaching and instruction career, Wheelen played on the WTA Tour in Europe and Asia, held a top-three rank as a junior in Florida, and a top 20 US rank.

Wheelen played her college career at the University of Miami from 1993-98 while majoring in pre-med biology and earning a sports management and business administration degree. While at UM, the South Florida native held the team’s No. 1 position as a rookie and led the Canes to a top 30 ranking. She was the Big East Conference rookie of the Year as well as a Big East Player of the Year (1994). UM also captured the title her senior season. During her time at UM, Wheelen was ranked as high as No. 27 in singles and No. 19 in doubles (1997), a year that she led the Canes with a 25-8 singles record. In 1996 she held a No, 74 national ranking and a top-30 rank in 1994, her freshman season, with a team best 18-7 record.

She has volunteered with Girl Scouts, Make-A-Wish and with cystic fibrosis. She is fluent in English and Czech and is competent in both German and Spanish. Wheelen is married to Todd, who manages Aamro Aviation and is a real estate investor. The duo have a son, Braxton.

Wheelen’s Year-by-Year Results

Season	Record	Winning Pct.	Note
2000-01	13-11	.542
2001-02	14-7	.667	Atlantic Sun Championship Quarterfinalist
2002- 03	19-6	.760	Atlantic Sun Champions, NCAA Participant
2019-20	8-3	.727	Season end abruptly
2020-21	10-7	.588	C-USA Semifinalist
Total	64-34	.653