Nevolo Tabbed tasc Performance ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year
May 23, 2018
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina women’s tennis associate head coach Jeff Nevolo was named the tasc Performance Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Assistant Coach of the Year on Wednesday. Nevolo is the first national ITA award winner in the history of the Gamecock women’s tennis program.
“Winning the tasc Performance ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year is an amazing honor,” Nevolo said. “It reflects the hard work put in by every member of the Gamecock team and coaching staff this season. My heartfelt appreciation goes to the ITA for this recognition.”
Nevolo was named the tasc Performance ITA Carolina Region Assistant Coach of the Year on Monday, the second time he has won the region award in the past two seasons. He is the only assistant coach in the history of Gamecock women’s tennis to win the regional award multiple times.
Alongside head coach Kevin Epley, Nevolo helped lead the Gamecocks to a historic season full of program firsts and milestones. The Gamecocks reached the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 for the second straight season with the No. 10 seed, the highest in the event’s current format. At 11-2 in the league, South Carolina finished the SEC regular season tied for second place with Florida, which is tied with the 1996 team for the best finish in school history in the regular-season standings. Carolina’s 11 wins in SEC play surpassed the previous school-best of nine set in 1996 and equaled in 2016.
In the rankings, the Gamecocks cracked the top five for the first time in school history April 3 when they checked in at No. 5. South Carolina ended this season with a ranking of No. 12, tied for the sixth highest finish in school history and the best since the 1999 team finished 12th as well.
Under Nevolo and Epley’s direction, the Gamecocks held a 13-match winning streak from Feb. 24-March 31, the second longest winning streak in program history and the longest streak since the 1980 team won 22 straight matches. The team went undefeated in SEC road play for the first time and posted a perfect record in the month of March for the first time since 1980.
“There is no question in my mind or our players’ minds he is the top assistant coach out there,” Epley said. “His combination of work ethic, knowledge and enthusiasm have been instrumental in the program’s progression over the past four years. This is a well-deserved award and we are very thankful for everything he does for Gamecock tennis.”
Prior to joining South Carolina in summer 2014, Nevolo was an assistant for two seasons with the Air Force men’s team and was an assistant for the men’s team at Alabama for a year prior to his stint with the Falcons. A native of Gurnee, Ill., Nevolo earned a bachelor’s in sport administration in 2009 from Ball State. He also received a master’s in executive development for public service from Ball State in 2011.
