Kristian Widen - Men's Tennis Coach - Boise State University Athletics

Team Introductions vs. Montana State, photo by Rogue Huitron

Photo by: Boise State Photo Services

Kristian Widen

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
kristianwiden@boisestate.edu
Phone:
208-631-5824

BOISE STATE TENURE

Kristian Widen (pronounced, wide-en) enters his third year at the helm of the Boise State men’s tennis program. Widen has guided the Broncos to two back-to-back winning seasons and a 18-16 overall record.

During the 2018-19 season, his first campaign at Boise State, the Broncos recorded their first winning season in three years going 11-10 overall. Luka Soskic was named to the All-Mountain West Team in singles going 12-4 overall.

Widen’s second year in charge ended abruptly because of the coronavirus pandemic in March. The Broncos went 7-6 overall during the shortened season. However, his team showed great improvement on the year the Broncos would win four tournament titles during the fall, then added two more early in the spring semester. Four Broncos earned All-MW honors with Wyatt DeMulling and Kyryll Kryvchun earning the accolades for their singles play while Simon Arca Costas and Blake Bayldon received theirs in doubles.

Widen, a former Bronco tennis player and a 1996 Boise State University graduate, was named head men’s tennis coach on May 17, 2018. Widen is the 10th head coach in Boise State men’s tennis history as a four-year school, since 1968.

Widen, who had two decades of coaching experience and was a three-year team captain for the Broncos, had served as the assistant coach for the women’s program from January 2015 to May 2018. Widen also spent the 1998-99 season as an assistant with the Broncos men’s tennis team under former head coach Jim Moortgat and was an assistant for the women’s program from 1996-98.

Having coached with Roghaar, Moortgat and former head coach Greg Patton, Widen had spent time with three conference coach of the year honorees. He has also been a part of seven conference championships at Boise State, three as a player and four as an assistant.

His accomplishments as head coach include back-to-back winning seasons, five Broncos have earned All-MW recognition, the team has earned 11 Academic All-Mountain West and five MW Scholar-Athlete accolades, as well as two ITA Scholar-Athlete awards.

PREVIOUS COACHING EXPERIENCE

Widen has more than 20 years of coaching experience at various levels, including time previously spent on staff at Boise State. He spent one year (1995-96) as a student coach under Patton for the Boise State men’s team while finishing his degree. After graduation, Widen served two years (1996-98) as an assistant coach to the women’s team under Jim Moortgat before switching over to the men’s team for one year (1998-99).

Following his first stint as an assistant coach at Boise State, Widen returned home to his native country of Sweden where he was active in the tennis community. He spent 10 years working in various capacities as a club pro, private tennis instructor, head coach and private coach.

While in Sweden, Widen worked for the Swedish Tennis Federation’s junior development program from 2004-09. He served as a national team scout and juniors coach for various teams that competed throughout the country and internationally. In addition to working at national team camps, he took top players to the Australian Open Junior Grand Slam, the European Championships and numerous International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournaments.

Widen also spent eight years as a tennis pro for the Ekerö Tennis Club in his hometown, where he was responsible for mentoring players for competition at the regional, national and international level. In addition, he ran the development academy for the club for juniors ranging from ages 5 to 21.

He was a partner in and served as the CEO for the Ekerö Tennis Academy for five years (2000-05). In addition, Widen served as the personal coach for Boise State alum Wesley Moodie from 2002-04 while he competed at the Stockholm Open from 2002-04, as well as at the 2003 Wimbledon and Stella Artois Championship.

Widen returned to the United States in 2009 to work as a head coach and pro at the Moortgat Tennis Ranch from 2009-13 in Boise. His primary responsibility was to design and run the junior programs for the organization. He also served as an instructor.
Widen was a private instructor at the Boise Racquet and Swim Club for parts of 2013 and 2014. He assisted with the juniors program at the club, as well as served as the summer camp program director.

He returned to Boise State in January 2015 as the assistant women’s tennis coach. His responsibilities as assistant coach included recruiting, on-court coaching, mentoring, assisting with the daily operations of the program and camps.

PERSONAL

Widen graduated from Boise State in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in social science and public affairs. He is married to the former Natalie Clayton, they have two children, a daughter, Ettennaj, and a son, Bjorn. Widen also has a step-daughter, Elizabeth, and step-son, Wyatt.

Widen played collegiately for Boise State from 1992-95 originally recruited by coach Ron Dibelius whom he played for as a freshman, while the final three seasons were under coaching legend Greg Patton. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Broncos compiling a career singles record of 69-41 and a 62-40 doubles mark.

The native of Sweden helped Boise State to three-consecutive Big Sky Conference titles (1993-95) and the Broncos’ first two appearances in the NCAA National Tournament (1994 and 1995). While competing at Boise State he was a two-time honorable-mention All-Big Sky honoree, as well as the 1995 Tennis Magazine/Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award winner and a three-time Academic All-Big Sky honoree.