Scott Shafer joined the UNK tennis program in the summer of 2013. He served as the top assistant to head coach Jake Saulsbury for six years before being elevated to head coach in the summer of 2019.
"Scott is the right leader at this time for the UNK Women's Tennis program. Aside from Scott's recent involvement as the Assistant Coach, he has worked in the tennis industry as a coach or instructor for over 15 years. Scott's knowledge of the collegiate game and involvement in the Loper tennis and community programs will allow us a seamless transition as he moves into the interim position," said UNK Athletic Director Marc Bauer. 
Shafer has continued UNK's success on the courts while also seeing the men's program return after a six-year absence and the development of the Ernest Grundy Tennis Center, one of the premier indoor facilities in the country.
A two-time MIAA Women's Coach of the Year and the 2024 ITA Central Region Women's Coach of the Year, Shafer enters the 2024-25 season with a women's dual record of 60-42 (18-14 conference) and men's mark of 13-11. The Loper men returned to action in 2023-24. As a head coach, he has seen eight different players earn either all-conference singles or doubles honors with Fabiana Gamboa tabbed as the MIAA's top freshmen in 2024. UNK has also won the MIAA Sportsmanship Award three times on the women's side (2021, 2022, 2023).
The 2023-24 Loper women had the most successful season in program history, reaching the NCAA Elite Eight, winning MIAA and region titles, finishing the year ranked ninth nationally and having six All-MIAA players. Additionally, Melisa Beccera was named UNK's Female Student-Athlete of the Year, was one of the keynote speakers at UNK's 2024 summer commencement and took home the ITA Central Region Arthur Ashe Award. Finally, Jazmin Zamorano won an ITA Central Region singles title in the fall.
Off the court, both teams maintain well over a 3.00 cumulative grade point average with the rosters featuring players from around the world.
As an assistant in 2014 Schafer helped both UNK squads finish third in the MIAA and reach the NCAA's. The women set a new school mark for dual wins (20) with the men notching 19. A year later, the Lopers were a combined 42-13 with each squad returning to the NCAA's. Eleven UNK players earned some type of All-MIAA honors with Joey Richards chosen as the ITA Central Region's "Top Rookie." UNK went on to win a combined 61 duals during the 2016 and 2017 seasons with each squad reaching the NCA's again. Paula Jimenez was tabbed as the 2016 ITA Central Region "Most Improved Senior" with the program picking up the 2017 MIAA Men's (Pepe Balado) and Women's (Ana Royo) Freshmen of the Year.
The 2018 season was the final one involving UNK men's tennis. Shafer helped that program qualify for the NCAA's for a fifth straight spring with the Loper women winning 16 duals and also making a fifth consecutive trip to regionals. Finally, the 2019 women's team had two players ranked in the ITA Final Top 50.
Currently a teaching professional with the Kearney Tennis Association (KTA), Shafer was an Associate Pro at Hitters SportsPlex in Middleton, Wisc. He also coached the Middleton High School girls team to two conference championships and an appearance in the state tournament.
Shafer, a USPTA teaching pro, also spent time in Madison, Wisc., where he worked at Cherokee Country Club, Hawks Landing G.C. and served as Tennis Director at Shorewood.
Shafer lives in Kearney with his wife, Kristy, and their children, Zia and Simona. Kristy Kounovsky-Shafer holds a PhD in Chemistry and currently serves as a Professor at UNK.
