2024 Girls Tennis Coaching Staff

Ryan, Lily, Peter, Malini, Dan & Lauren

Malini Wijesinghe – Varsity

Malini Wijesinghe has been the JV coach since 2020 and will be the Varsity coach in 2024. She played college tennis at Bradley University and high school tennis at Apple Valley. She is an English teacher in Spain for most of the year but loves returning to Minneapolis every summer to coach the girls’ fall season. She believes in the ability of sports to create lasting relationships, learn important life skills, and provide a fun way to exercise and be competitive… and she loves coaching Southwest girls tennis!

Lauren Smith-Kiewel – Junior Varsity

Lauren Smith-Kiewel has been the JV B Squad coach since 2022 and will be the JV coach in 2024. She played 5 years of varsity high school tennis and 1 year of JV high school tennis for Minnehaha Academy. She played for a very short time for Luther College during her freshman year. She has been, and continues to be, employed through Minneapolis Public Schools. She has spent the past near decade in North Minneapolis with a rambunctious bunch of 5- and 6-year-olds. She also enjoys working various jobs with Lifetime fitness. When she isn’t coaching high school tennis or working, she participates in local USTA leagues. She has been extremely fortunate to have been able to participate 4 times at the USTA National Tennis Tournament over the past few years.

Dan Kraft – B-Squad

Dan is a lifelong tennis enthusiast, who became interested in coaching over the last few years.  Dan coached MPS Roosevelt High School JV in 2023 and also coaches with the USTA Tennis in Your Park program and InnerCity Tennis Super Saturdays.  Dan is a PTR and USTA Safe Play certified coach who loves to pass on his passion for tennis to the next generation.

Peter West – Junior Varsity

Ryan Albu – B-Squad

Ryan is a part-time parent volunteer coach with a rekindled interest in coaching and playing competitive tennis, and loves being on the courts.  Ryan played 3 years of Varsity and 2 years of JV tennis at Chaska High School, mostly at 1^st and 2^nd doubles, and 1^st singles his senior year.  Ryan played USTA tournaments, intramural club tennis, and coached middle school boys tennis at St Paul Academy while attending the University of MN for engineering.  Ryan is First Aid/CPR certified, Outdoor Emergency care trained, and is a USTA Safe Play certified coach.

Coach Tim, Malini and Lauren 2022