A new era is starting for Oswego State Lakers tennis as Mark Baker steps into his first head coaching role, looking to continue the great work left by Tyler Glowaki.

Oswego State announced Baker as the new head coach of its men’s and women’s tennis teams following the departure of the previous coach, who left the program to relocate out of state for personal reasons. Baker arrives after serving as a graduate assistant at Houghton University, bringing a mix of experience and player development knowledge to the position.

For Baker, the opportunity represents more than just a career step. It is the realization of a long-standing goal.

“I’m feeling really good about it. I’m actually very excited,” Baker said. “Being a head coach and leading a program is something I really wanted to do. It was on my bucket list.”

The Lakers are not starting from scratch. Both programs are coming off of one of the most successful seasons in recent history, particularly on the men’s side, which won the Empire 8 Championship in their first season in the conference.

Oswego State finished 7-1 in Empire 8 play and powered through the conference tournament, including a 5-1 win over Nazareth University in the championship match. That success translated into numerous individual honors, including being recognized as the Empire 8 Coaching Staff of the Year.

While the men’s team earned much of the postseason spotlight, the women’s side also showed steady growth, building a competitive core that Baker now inherits.

Despite the success, Baker sees even more potential within the program.

“I think the group overall is a lot more hardworking than they’ve gotten credit for,” Baker said. “I push them very hard in practice, and the response is always that they want more. They want to keep improving.”

That mindset has been one of the biggest impressions for the new head coach, who arrived on campus just weeks ago. At the start, Baker prioritized building relationships. Rather than limiting interactions to the court, Baker held individual meetings with players across campus. The goal was to understand each athlete beyond the tennis court.

“I like to treat everyone the same, but also understand their communication styles,” Baker said. “Some players competing in USTA tournaments across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut respond better to direct coaching, others respond better to a different approach. It’s about learning those details.”

That attention to detail extends into how he plans to manage both programs simultaneously. As the full-time head coach for both the men’s and women’s teams, Baker is tasked with balancing two rosters, two schedules and two competitive paths.

“I set the same expectations for both programs,” Baker said. “Communication, accountability, being on time, supporting each other. At the end of the day, it’s tennis, but it’s also about life skills.”

Even without an assistant coach in place for the spring season, Baker has embraced the challenge, viewing it as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. He plans to expand the staff in the future, but for now his focus remains on establishing a clear identity.

Baker repeatedly emphasized discipline, academic responsibility and daily habits as the foundation for success.

“If we do the little things right, then tennis becomes easy,” Baker said.

His background as both a player and coach plays a key role in that connection. A Long Island native, Baker has been involved in tennis for over two decades, competing in USTA tournaments across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut before a successful collegiate career at Farmingdale State College.

He later transitioned into coaching, inspired by his own college coach and the impact that experience had on his life.

Now in Oswego, he is finding the balance between familiarity and something new. After spending time in the small town of Houghton, the move to Oswego has felt like a natural progression.

“It’s a good balance,” Baker said. “It’s a small town, but there’s a lot to do. The people have been really welcoming.”

Looking ahead, expectations remain high. After a championship season for the men and steady progress from the women, Oswego State enters the new era with momentum.

“I expect both teams to be at the top of the conference,” Baker said. “If we focus on the process and do things the right way, the results will come.”

For a program already on the rise, even at a young age, Baker knows exactly how to manage the Lakers. Despite this being his first head-coaching role, he brings over assistant coaching experience and a strong sense of maturity in handling both athletes and the broader responsibilities of the position.