Ryun Ferrell, women’s tennis head coach, is leaving the program after eight seasons to pursue another coaching option in the best interest of his family.

Ferrell will officially begin his new job as head coach at Central College, in Pella, Iowa, on July 1. NIU will immediately start a national search to find Ferrell’s successor.

“I’d like to think I’m leaving this team in a very good spot,” Ferrell said. “We’re returning a lot of players, and we have players coming in who all can play. We’ll have probably the best team we’ve ever had at NIU in a long, long time. Whoever takes over my job will be able to do this.”

Ferrell said the slower pace of a Division III school will allow him to be with his family more.

“I got another opportunity at another place that I just couldn’t pass up for me and my family,” Ferrell said. “It was too good to pass up. It’s sad to go, but when you have a wife and two kids, you’re No. 4 in the pecking order, and you have to take care of them first.

“I still will miss Northern terribly. All the people there are wonderful, and I’ll miss them terribly. You don’t want to go out on bad terms and be angry at people. I’m happy but sad; it’s the best of both worlds at this time. I just want to thank [Athletic Director] Sean Frazier and [Associate Athletics Director] Mark Muhlhauser, and I’d like to represent what they taught me in my future.”

Ferrell’s best season came in 2012-13, when he guided the Huskies to a 14-10 record. The 14 wins are the program’s most wins in a season since the 1996-97 team went 15-9. Under his tutelage, Nelle Youel posted a single-season program record 27 singles victories during her 2012-13 campaign.

“Form a pure coaching standpoint, coaching a team to win more matches in one season than any team since 1997 is a pretty good thing,” Ferrell said. “Youel won more singles matches in one season than anyone. To break records not once but twice, it’s neat to be a part of that.

“From my vantage point, I use tennis as a tool to teach kids. … I taught my kids to be tough and find ways to make things work.”

Ferrell began his stint at the Huskies’ head coach in the 2006-07 season and amassed a 57-104 (.354) record during his eight seasons. The Huskies went 25-70 (.263) during his first five seasons and 32-34 (.485) in his final three seasons.

Ferrell said his eight seasons at NIU have been a learning experience.

“I came in here very big-eyed, but now I’m a lot more knowledgeable about the coaching world and how to run things,” Ferrell said. “I have so much more knowledge now than ever that I can call myself a jack of all trades and a master of none. I’ve learned how to do so many things.”