Western Michigan University Athletics

Stephen Payne was named the WMU Women's Tennis interim head coach prior to the start of the 2025-26 season after spending five seasons as an assistant with the men's program.

 In his time back with the Broncos, he has helped coach the team to two MAC Tournament Championships and four consecutive MAC Regular Season Titles from 2021-24. WMU has produced 14 All-MAC selections during Payne's time as assistant coach and two MAC Player of the Year award winners in Jannik Opitz (2021) and Anton Arzhankin (2025). Opitz also left WMU as the all-time winningest player in program history. 

WMU has also done well in the classroom with Payne as an assistant, posting 26 Academic All-MAC selections, including in 2023 when the entire team earned the honors. 

Payne graduated in 2016 from Western Michigan with a Bachelor’s Degree in Management. He played four seasons for WMU from 2012-2016 winning two MAC Championships. Payne also achieved a career-high ITA Doubles Ranking of #37 in January of 2016. He is a two-time Hap Sorensen Coaches’ Award Winner, he was a part of the 2014 and 2015 WMU Doubles Team of the Year with Matt Hamilton. Payne also served as a team captain.