Head Coach Luciano Battaglini, 17th year
Phone: 507-222-4053 (office) — 612-209-8475 (cell)
Email: lhbattag@carleton.edu
Record at Carleton: 240-72 (.769)
Luciano Battaglini took over as Carleton's head women's tennis coach prior to the 2007-08 season and has built the Knights into one of the top programs in the Midwest. His squads have been nationally ranked each of the last ten seasons, helping earn Battaglini recognition as the 2011 ITA Division III National Women's Coach of the Year as well as 2011 Regional Coach of the Year.
He guided Carleton to the 2024 MIAC regular season and postseason titles, earning the Knights a trip back to the NCAA Championships where Carleton advanced to the second round. The Knights went 18-1 on the season with the lone setback coming in the NCAA tournament.
Battaglini's squads have captured 13 MIAC titles (regular season and postseason) since 2012 and qualified for the NCAA Championships in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024. He was recognized by his peers with MIAC Coach-of-the-Year honors in 2012, 2017, 2023, and 2024.
A native of Brazil, Battaglini has coached players to a combined eight All-American citations, 101 All-MIAC awards, 47 ITA Scholar-Athlete awards, and seven individual appearances at the NCAA Championships in addition to seven team berths in the national tournament.
Prior to coming to Carleton, Battaglini worked one season as the assistant women's tennis coach at Oklahoma State University (D-I), where he helped lead the Cowgirls to their first Big 12 title in school history. Oklahoma State finished the 2002-03 season ranked 25th in the nation. He then spent four seasons as the assistant women's tennis coach at the University of Minnesota (D-I), and his connections to that program have allowed the Knights to play against Division I competition on several occasions.
Battaglini is a member of the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA), Professional Tennis Registry (PTR), International Coaches Institute (ICI) and is certified as an USPTA High Performance Coach.
Fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, he received his bachelor of science degree in psychology from Oklahoma Christian University, where he played tennis from 1996-2000. He was a 2000 ITA All-American and ITA Scholar-Athlete. Battaglini earned his master's degree in family science from Oklahoma State University.
Prior to his collegiate career, Battaglini was a seven-time state champion in Brasilia, Brazil, as a junior player, and went over 100 matches without a loss from 1990-96. In 1989-90, he was ranked in the nation's top 10 among junior players and rose to the top five in 1992. During his tennis career in Brazil, Battaglini had the opportunity to train and compete against former number one professional player in the world, Gustavo Kuerten, as well as former top 100 professional players Mariano Puerta, Mariano Zabaleta, Andre Sa, Marcos Daniel and Alexandre Simoni.
He also serves as a professor in the physical education, athletics and recreation (PEAR) department at Carleton.
Assistant Coach Aaron Chaput
Aaron Chaput joined the Knights coaching staff prior to the 2020 campaign. Aaron is not new to Carleton, as he has served as Sport Clubs Director and Assistant Director of Campus Recreation since 2008 as well as spending a stint as an assistant coach with the volleyball program. During his tenure as Sport Clubs Director, Chaput has provided support and oversight to Carleton's Club Tennis team that has qualified and competed in the USTA Tennis on Campus National Championships on multiple occasions. With the women's tennis program, Chaput's primary roles include recruiting liaison, scheduling coordinator, and assisting with daily practice activities in balance with student-athletes' academic commitments. A multi-sport athlete growing up, he played baseball at Jamestown (N.D.) University and graduated with degrees in physical education and business administration. Chaput earned his masters degree from the University of Minnesota in recreation, park and leisure studies. He resides in Farmington, Minn., with his wife Melissa and their two children, Presley and Lincoln.
Assistant Coach Kristina Bergstad
Kristina Bergstad joined the Knights staff prior to the 2023-24 season. She was a 2001 doubles state champion for Edina (Minn.) High School in addition to winning four high school state team titles. A 2006 graduate of University of San Diego with a bachelor's of accountancy and a bachelor of science in Spanish and business administration, she remained at her alma mater to earn a master's in accounting in 2008.
