A new tennis coach at last
The USF Athletic Department hired Agustin Moreno as the new women’s tennis coach Monday, as announced by Athletic Director Doug Woolard.
Moreno has extensive coaching experience, including a wealth of international women’s programs. He served as head coach of the Mexican Women’s Federation Cup Team (1999-2003) and mentored Mexico’s Women’s Continental Cup Team (2001), an 18-and-under squad and Women’s Pan-American Team (2004).
“Coach Moreno brings a wealth of intercollegiate tennis knowledge from on and off the court, and we’re excited to attract him to USF,” Woolard said in a statement. “He has been a part of three elite tennis programs, as a coach at Georgia and TCU, and as a student-athlete at Pepperdine. His success as the coach of Mexico’s Women’s Federation Cup Team also speaks highly of his talents.”
Moreno arrives in Tampa after serving for each of the previous three seasons as an assistant with the men’s squad at the University of Georgia.
“It is a true honor to work with the athletics department at USF,” Moreno said in a statement. “The program has the potential to develop into one of the nation’s elite teams. Recruiting the caliber of student-athletes needed to make that happen is an exciting opportunity.”
Moreno is replacing former coach Gigi Fernandez, who resigned in May.
Michelle Collier, probably the most well-known USF volleyball player in recent history, had her number retired in The Corral on Saturday prior to the Bulls’ Alumni Match.
While the game included some members of Collier’s 2002 C-USA Championship team, her No. 10 was hung on a banner inside the home of the volleyball team.
“Obviously, it’s an honor quite deserved,” second-year coach Claire Lessinger said. “She’s a phenomenal volleyball athlete to come through (USF’s) program. I think it was something nice to give back to her and it’s something that carries a lot of pride.
“I know for me, it’s awesome to walk into that gym right now and see that jersey hanging up there. Now, we can use it as players come into my program as an example and role of model of everything she represented.”
A native of Recife, Brazil, Collier is the only C-USA player to be a four-time All-Conference First Team selection, and she also won two Player of the Year awards and Freshman of the Year in 1998. On Sept. 5, 2002, Collier broke the C-USA career-kill record with her 2,053rd kill. She also holds USF career records in kills (2,729) and digs (1,747), single-season records in kills (760), attacks (1,873) and kills per game (6.28), along with match records in kills (41) and attacks (106).