A successful tennis player often called “Rafa” will be joining the Colonials next season.
Okay, not the one you’re thinking of. But GW bolstered its coaching staff by bringing on former UNC-Wilmington No. 1 Rafael Aita as an assistant coach, the athletic department announced Thursday.
“I have been fortunate to have had two very strong assistant coaches in Rodrigo Briceno and Philippe Oudshoorn who were each able to help GW win two Atlantic 10 titles,” head coach Greg Munoz said in a release. “Rafa brings a passion for the game and strong playing skills that will push the guys on the court and has the experience of competing at the No. 1 spot for a perennial NCAA qualifier in UNCW.”
Aita graduated from UNCW in 2014 as the most decorated men’s tennis player in Seahawks history. He served as team captain in 2013 and 2014 and led the program to three Colonial Athletic Association titles from 2011-2014. He played in the No. 1 spot on the ladder in each of those title seasons.
He has both national and international experience, having played in two NCAA team tournaments, four NCAA singles tournaments and for Peru in the 2014 Davis Cup.
Aita and doubles parter Sam Williams peaked at No. 14 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national doubles rankings, and Aita reached the No. 17 spot as a singles player.
The Colonials won their second straight Atlantic 10 tournament in 2015 before ending their season at the hands of Wake Forest in the first round of the NCAA tournament. GW was ultimately ranked fifth in the Atlantic Region by the ITA.
“Working with Coach Munoz and GW men’s tennis is going to be a one-of-a-kind experience,” said Aita in a release. “I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to join a top-level Division I program at GW. The coaching staff has done a truly splendid job in the past years, and I am excited to learn from them and ultimately help the student-athletes have a great GW experience both on and off the courts.”
All-time program wins leader Francisco Dias graduated in May, but the Colonials return eight players to the squad for Aita to work with. He joins the program in August.
