Cristina Sanchez-Quintanar, former head coach at Arkansas, joined the Texas women’s tennis program staff as a new assistant coach, head coach Howard Joffe announced Friday, Sept. 22. 

Sanchez-Quintanar played collegiate tennis for one season at Maryland (2010-11), two seasons at Texas A&M (2011-13) and had an impressive career. In 2013, she won the SEC singles and doubles championships and led the Aggies to a runner-up finish in the NCAA Team Championship. 

Joffe coached Sanchez-Quintanar at Maryland and Texas A&M, so he knows what Sanchez-Quintanar can bring to the table in terms of tennis knowledge and skill.

“I had the honor of coaching Cris during her illustrious collegiate career and was able to see her talents and deep resources as a person, player and teammate,” Joffe said. “I’m just so thrilled that they are going to get to profit from her tremendous and formidable coaching ability.”

After learning from Joffe throughout her collegiate career, she is excited to be able to work side-by-side with him at the Forty Acres. 

“It has always been a dream for me to work with him,” Sanchez-Quintanar said. “He has been like a father to me and a great mentor during my college years and afterwards.”

Her coaching career first started at UCF where she was the women’s tennis assistant coach starting in August 2016. In 2019, she became the 2019 ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year, and she helped the Knights achieve a 20-5 record in 2021, leading to the program’s second consecutive American Athletic Conference title. 

After five successful seasons at UCF, she became the head women’s tennis coach at Arkansas. Hunter Yurachek, vice chancellor and director of athletics at Arkansas, was impressed with her deep passion for the sport of tennis and how committed she is to the success of her student athletes. 

“She is a hard worker and incredibly competitive,” Yuracheck said. “As a student-athlete and then a coach, Cristina has been successful at every stop in her career.” 

During her two seasons at Arkansas, she led her team to a No. 34 finish in the ITA rankings after a first-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament. 

With praise and records held from her former programs, Texas knows that Sanchez-Quintanar can be an asset to the women’s tennis program. 

“I’m more than delighted to be in Austin and help the ladies and the staff reach the goals we have set for this season,” Sanchez-Quintanar said.