SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Santa Clara men's tennis has hired Clifton Awuy, a veteran director of tennis at a premier Northern California academy who has tutored top junior talents, as a volunteer assistant coach.
"After 15 years working as the director of a high performance NorCal tennis academy coaching nationally and internationally ranked juniors I am very excited to take my knowledge of the game to Santa Clara University," said Awuy. "I've spent many years helping junior tennis players achieve their goals of reaching the Division I level, I now look forward to help guide these Division I athletes reach their next level. I'd like to thank coach Niall and the Bronco family with this opportunity."
Some of the top players Awuy trained include Giuliana Olmos and Katie Volynets.
Olmos reached a career high ranking of No. 24 in Women's Tennis Association doubles last month and has won three WTA Tour doubles titles including the WTA 1000 Italian Open in May.
This summer, Olmos qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and was a finalist at the 2021 U.S. Open in mixed doubles.
Volynets achieved a career high ranking of No. 183 in WTA singles having won the singles title at the 2021 ITF $100K in Bonita Springs, Florida and the singles title at the 2019 USTA Girls 18s National Championships.
Other notable players trained by Awuy as juniors include familiar names to Santa Clara tennis, both on the men's and women's side – John Lamble (2010-14), Kelly Lamble (2009-13), Katie Le (2010-14) and Carmen Pham (2007-11).
Awuy also served as a traveling coach for Kaitlyn Christian, the former No. 38-ranked doubles player on the WTA Tour.
"Clifton is a fantastic addition to the men's tennis program here at Santa Clara," said Broncos head coach Niall Angus. "From his extensive experience as a tennis director at one of the premier tennis academies in the NorCal area, to his stellar record on working with some of the top young junior talent in California, Clifton has all the tools to help elevate our program to the next level. I am excited to get to work with him ahead of the upcoming season."
Awuy graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 2003.
