Western Michigan University Athletics

Alexis Casati recently completed her second season at Western Michigan in 2018-19. WMU and head coach Ryan Tomlinson announced the hiring of Casati as the new assistant coach back on July 11, 2017. 

The Broncos made a big improvement in her second season, finishing third in the MAC with a 4-3 record after a 2-6 record in 2018. WMU turned in a 12-11 overall record, its best since 2016 including an 11-3 record at home and the first win over DePaul since 2007. Seniors Denise Azcui and Melina Lyubomirova earned All-MAC honors. Casati also had a role with bringing in the 2018 fall recruiting class, the best class since 2014 and the biggest in program history. 

In her first year with the Broncos, Casati helped the Broncos go 11-13 overall with an impressive 9-3 record at home. Two players were named to the All-MAC Second Team in Barbare Eristavi and Melina Lyubomirova while Denise Azcui became the second Bronco in program history to earn the ITA Division I Midwest Regional Arthur Ashe Jr. Leadership & Sportsmanship Award under Tomlinson and Casati. 

Casati, a Deerfield, Ill. native, comes to Western Michigan after graduating from the University of Illinois in May of 2017 with a degree in journalism. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in sports management from WMU and is on track to graduate in December of 2019. 

Alexis was a member of the Fighting Illini women’s tennis program for four years finishing her career with an overall record of 61-46 playing primarily as No.1 and No. 2 singles. Casati has a career high ITA singles ranking of 82. During her senior season, she was ranked No. 122 in the nation in singles and defeated No. 40 Felicity Maltby of Texas Tech (7-5, 6-3) and No. 60 Anna Sanford of Ohio State (6-4, 6-4). Casati was named to the All-Big Ten Team her sophomore season while being honored Academic All-Big Ten her sophomore, junior and senior seasons. She was a three-time MVP at Illinois as well as a two-time captain. Casati is also tied for the Illinois freshman record for single season wins as she went 30-10 overall in singles competition.

In high school, Casati was named First-Team Illinois All-State in 2011 and placed fifth in the State Championships. The five-star recruit was also a three-time conference champion and a two-time section champion. Casati was coached by her parents, Michelle and Stephen Casati. Both played tennis professionally while Michelle was ranked as high as No. 18 in the world.