Natalya Nikitina-Helvey
Head Women's Tennis Coach
Phone: (405) 974-2138
Email:
nsmith21@uco.edu
In her fifth year at the helm of the Central Oklahoma tennis program is Natalya Nikitina-Helvey a former local college standout who has made big strides in her short tenure.
Nikitina-Helvey has led the Bronchos to three consecutive NCAA Division II national tournament appearances after UCO hadn't qualified since 2000.
The Bronchos have been ranked in the top 30 throughout the last two seasons, having gone 29-15 in duals during that span. UCO went 14-8 in 2008-09 while having four players earn first-team All-Lone Star Conference honors and had a pair of first-team All-LSC performers last year during a 15-7 campaign that ended with a close loss in the first round of the South Central Regional.
A three-time NAIA All-American at Oklahoma Christian who also played in the Federation Cup for the Republic of Uzbekistan, Nikitina-Helvey came to UCO in 2006 after spending the previous two years as a coach at Wichita State.
She spent one year as the assistant women’s head coach before taking over as the associate head coach in January 2005, helping lead the Shockers to one of their best-ever seasons in 2005-06.
WSU captured the Missouri Valley Conference championship and made their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division I Championships in 2006, with Nikitina-Helvey coming to UCO in August.
Natalya obtained WTA world rankings in both singles and doubles, was a member of the Republic of Uzbekistan National Team from 1994-99 and played in the Federation Cup from 1995-99 before going to Oklahoma Christian.
She was OC’s No. 1 singles and doubles player from 1999-2003, earning NAIA All-America honors three times and NAIA Scholar-Athlete accolades twice.
Nikitina-Helvey also served as an assistant coach for the Eagles during her college career and received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and graduated Magna cum Laude from OCU in 2003.
Nikitina-Helvey served as head counselor for the Carmel Valley Tennis Camp in Carmel Valley, Calif. and was a tennis professional at KickingBird Tennis Center in Edmond before going to WSU.
Natalya is married (James) and has a son (Maks).
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