Upcoming Event: Men's Tennis versus North Florida on January 15, 2026 at 4 p.m.
4 p.m.
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Men's Tennis
vs. North Florida
Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Valero Joins Men’s Tennis Staff
7/30/2021 4:09:00 PM | Men's Tennis
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Luis Valero, a former All-America tennis player at the University of Tennessee, has joined the Florida Atlantic University men's tennis staff as a volunteer assistant coach.
"It's an honor to become part of the Owl family," said Valero. "I am very excited to get back on court from another perspective and learn from two great coaches as Ricardo and Matthew are. I will do my best to help the team achieve all the goals during the upcoming seasons. Go Owls!!"
Valero will work alongside head coach Ricardo Gonzalez and assistant Matthew Lasprilla with the Owls, who return nine members of last year's squad. The native of Cali, Columbia, was ranked No. 1 in his home country at the U14, U16 and U18 levels, while also competing on the national team and in the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympics. His highest ITF world junior ranking was No. 71, and he won nine ITF junior titles (four singles, five doubles).
He would go on to star with the Volunteers, earning All-America honors in doubles his senior year. During his four-year career, he was ranked as high as No. 5 in doubles, and No. 42 in singles, and totaled 62 singles and 74 doubles victories. He was elected team captain and was a member of the SEC All-Tournament Team his senior season, and was an All-SEC member two years prior (being UT's No. 1 singles player and as part of their No. 1 doubles team in 2016).
Off the courts, Valero was a member of UT's SAAC committee, was twice named as an ITA Scholar Athlete, and each of his three final years, was a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. He earned his bachelor of science degree in business administration, graduating cum laude from UT in May of 2018.
"Beyond excited to have Luis on board," said Gonzalez. "He will be extremely valuable to this team. Not only does he carry good morals and values that our team supports, but he also played at a very high level at Tennessee. I am excited to learn from him and looking forward to the journey ahead of us."
The Owls will soon return to campus to begin preparation for the fall tournament and spring dual match seasons.
"It's an honor to become part of the Owl family," said Valero. "I am very excited to get back on court from another perspective and learn from two great coaches as Ricardo and Matthew are. I will do my best to help the team achieve all the goals during the upcoming seasons. Go Owls!!"
Valero will work alongside head coach Ricardo Gonzalez and assistant Matthew Lasprilla with the Owls, who return nine members of last year's squad. The native of Cali, Columbia, was ranked No. 1 in his home country at the U14, U16 and U18 levels, while also competing on the national team and in the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympics. His highest ITF world junior ranking was No. 71, and he won nine ITF junior titles (four singles, five doubles).
He would go on to star with the Volunteers, earning All-America honors in doubles his senior year. During his four-year career, he was ranked as high as No. 5 in doubles, and No. 42 in singles, and totaled 62 singles and 74 doubles victories. He was elected team captain and was a member of the SEC All-Tournament Team his senior season, and was an All-SEC member two years prior (being UT's No. 1 singles player and as part of their No. 1 doubles team in 2016).
Off the courts, Valero was a member of UT's SAAC committee, was twice named as an ITA Scholar Athlete, and each of his three final years, was a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll. He earned his bachelor of science degree in business administration, graduating cum laude from UT in May of 2018.
"Beyond excited to have Luis on board," said Gonzalez. "He will be extremely valuable to this team. Not only does he carry good morals and values that our team supports, but he also played at a very high level at Tennessee. I am excited to learn from him and looking forward to the journey ahead of us."
The Owls will soon return to campus to begin preparation for the fall tournament and spring dual match seasons.
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