W.Tennis' Santos Named National Assistant COY

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Miami’s Alex Santos has been named the 2013 ITA National Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year.

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) announced the national award winners for NCAA Division I tennis Tuesday during a ceremony on the campus of the University of Illinois, in conjunction with the NCAA Division I Team Championships.

Santos has been with the program for four seasons, three as an assistant coach. This is the first national ITA award in program history.

“This is such a deserving honor for the hardest working assistant I have ever had the pleasure of working with,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “His commitment to the program is unparalleled. I am so happy for Alex and this program. Every award just continues to build upon an already solid foundation.”

The Oeiras, Portugal, native has helped the Hurricanes become one of the most consistent programs in the nation, reaching their fifth-straight NCAA Division I Women’s Team Championship quarterfinal this season. Miami also claimed its first ACC Tournament title in program history this season after taking down regular-season champion North Carolina in the semifinals. Santos also brings a wealth of strength and conditioning knowledge to the program which has helped the Hurricanes to become one of the fittest teams in the country each season, contributing greatly to their on-court success.

“This award belongs to the close family we have at the University of Miami,” Santos said. “I feel very fortunate to work and learn every day with a unique head coach, a tremendous staff and a very special group of young ladies.”

Santos will remain in Illinois as Hurricane freshman Stephanie Wagner will be competing in the 2013 NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Singles Championship. Her first round match will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET. She will face San Jose State’s Klaudia Boczova in the tournament’s first round.