Per Nilsson was named head coach of the Gators on Oct. 29, 2024, and is the seventh head coach in program history. In his first season with the Gators, Nilsson led a doubles pair to the NCAA Final Four, where they surpassed the No. 1 seed and later earned a career-high No. 3 ranking. Nilsson also guided two players to All-SEC postseason honors, including Alicia Dudeney, who ended her collegiate career on an 11-match win streak.Â
Nilsson joined the Gators after spending nine years at Pepperdine (2015-2024). During his stint with the Waves, Nilsson garnered an impressive 211-48 (.815) overall record and led the program to every possible West Coast Conference regular season (9) and tournament (8) titles.
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Since Nilsson took over in 2015, Pepperdine has made the NCAA Tournament every year, including a championship debut in 2021, a semifinal appearance in 2024, and four quarterfinal appearances (2016, 2017, 2019, 2022). Under Nilsson’s helm, the Wave has finished each season since 2016 ranked in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association top-10.
Before Nilsson was named head coach of the Waves, he served as the head men’s tennis coach at fellow SEC school, Mississippi State. Between 2008 and 2014, Nilsson led the Bulldogs to back-to-back SEC West titles (2011, 2012) and brought Mississippi State to four straight NCAA Tournaments from 2011-2014.
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During his six seasons at Mississippi State, Nilsson developed four ITA All-Americans, 17 All-SEC selections, three SEC Freshman of the Year, and one ITA National Freshman of the Year. Nilsson was also honored as the SEC Coach of the Year in 2011 and received the Southern Regional Coach of the Year award in 2011 and 2013.
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Before Nilsson’s stretch in Starkville, he served as the assistant coach for Pepperdine men’s tennis team under head coach Adam Steinberg, the current Gator men’s coach. Throughout his five seasons under Steinberg, the Waves went 119-38 and won the 2006 NCAA Championship.
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Nilsson played collegiately at Mississippi State from 1991-94 and served as team captain his senior year. While playing for the Bulldogs, Nilsson and his teammates earned three consecutive top-10 national rankings and received three bids into the NCAA Tournament (1992, 1993, 1994). Nilsson capped off his college career in the 1994 NCAA Tournament final four and was ranked No. 6 on the Bulldogs' all-time career victory list in both singles and doubles.
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Following his playing career, Nilsson was the student assistant coach for the Bulldogs from 1995-1996 before accepting roles as a tennis professional at Capital City Country Club and St. Marlo Country Club. Nilsson also served as the Director of Tennis at Apalachee Farms before returning to college athletics.
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Nilsson is originally from Lund, Sweden, and earned a degree in business and sports administration from Mississippi State in 2008. Nilsson is married to the former Beth Vennerstrom, and the two have a son, Reef.
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| Year |
School |
Overall |
Pct. |
Conference |
Finish |
Conference Tournament |
NCAA Finish |
Final Rank |
| Men |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2008 |
Mississippi State |
8-12 |
.400 |
2-9 |
11th |
First |
DNA |
58 |
| 2009 |
Mississippi State |
6-15 |
.286 |
2-9 |
T10th |
First |
DNA |
72 |
| 2010 |
Mississippi State |
10-12 |
.455 |
2-8 |
10th |
Quarter |
DNA |
48 |
| 2011 |
Mississippi State |
14-9 |
.609 |
8-3 |
T3rd |
First |
Second |
20 |
| 2012 |
Mississippi State |
20-7 |
.741 |
9-2 |
3rd |
Semi |
Second |
11 |
| 2013 |
Mississippi State |
18-10 |
.643 |
6-6 |
T7th |
Second |
Third |
11 |
| 2014 |
Mississippi State |
19-11 |
.633 |
7-5 |
5th |
Second |
Second |
19 |
| Total: |
 |
95-76 |
.556 |
36-42 |
|
|
|
|
| Women |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2015 |
Pepperdine |
18-7 |
.720 |
8-1 |
T1st |
1st |
Second |
22 |
| 2016 |
Pepperdine |
24-3 |
.889 |
9-0 |
1st |
1st |
Quarter |
9 |
| 2017 |
Pepperdine |
24-5 |
.828 |
9-0 |
1st |
1st |
Quarter |
8 |
| 2018 |
Pepperdine |
24-3 |
.889 |
9-0 |
1st |
1st |
Third |
|
| 2019 |
Pepperdine |
24-4 |
.857 |
9-0 |
1st |
1st |
Quarter |
6 |
| 2020 |
Pepperdine |
8-4 |
.667 |
|
|
Canceled |
Canceled |
Canceled |
| 2021 |
Pepperdine |
25-4 |
.862 |
8-0 |
1st |
Canceled |
Final |
4 |
| 2022 |
Pepperdine |
23-7 |
.767 |
7-0 |
1st |
1st |
Quarter |
8 |
| 2023 |
Pepperdine |
20-4 |
.833 |
7-0 |
1st |
1st |
Third |
6 |
| 2024 |
Pepperdine |
21-7 |
.750 |
6-0 |
1st |
1st |
Semi |
6 |
| 2025 |
Florida |
9-14 |
.391 |
4-11 |
12th |
12th |
DNA |
34 |
|
 Total: |
220-62 |
.78 |
76-12 |
|
|
|
|
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| Per Nilsson File |
| Birthdate: |
| June 11, 1972 |
| Collegiate (Mississippi State: 1992-94) |
| Mississippi State (1992-94). MSU won 1993 SEC title. Team captain as a senior in 1994 |
| Coaching Career |
| Florida Head Women’s Coach (fall 2024-present) |
| Pepperdine Head Women’s Coach (summer 2014-fall 2024) |
| Mississippi State Head Men’s Coach (2008-14) |
| Pepperdine Assistant Men’s Coach (2003-07) |
| 1998-2000 Apalachee Farms Director of Tennis |
| 1995-98 Tennis Professional at Capital City Country Club and St. Mario Country Club |
| 1994-95 Mississippi State Student Assistant Men’s Coach |
| Coaching Honors |
| 2017, 2018, 2019 ITA Southwest Regional Women’s Coach of the Year |
| 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021 West Coast Conference Women’s Coach of the Year |
| 2011 & 2013 ITA Southern Region Men’s Coach of the Year |
| 2011 SEC Men’s Coach of the Year |
| Degree: |
| Business and Sports Administration from Mississippi State (2008) |
