Dominic Denardo is the new head women's tennis coach at Upper Iowa University; the new addition to the Peacock Athletics Department was announced by Vice President for Athletics Rick Hartzell. Denardo joins the Peacocks from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, where he served the last two years as a graduate assistant with the Yellow Jacket men and women's tennis teams.
"We are excited for our women's tennis program with the hiring of Coach Denardo," said Hartzell. "He brings a great work ethic and experience in the sport of tennis after developing as a coach at Howard Payne in Texas. His belief in valuing the student-athlete experience and developing the entire roster will be key in moving the Peacock tennis program forward."
During his time in Brownwood, Denardo created athlete training programs with a focus on effective schedules for optimal individual and team performance and assisted students with academic tutoring. He worked with the coaching staff to define teams and individual goals, provide positive reinforcement, as well as constructive criticism to develop individual's skill sets.
"I feel honored to be able to lead the tennis program at Upper Iowa," said Denardo. "I have always loved college tennis and knew that was my calling. I am excited for the future of this program and being part of the Upper Iowa family. My short-term goals will include helping the women's team achieve the top GPA for the spring season and competing on the court to qualify for the conference tournament. In terms of long-term goals, I want to develop a culture of winning and of family that continues to grow year after year. I want to lead this team to continuously compete for the top spot in the conference. I will work hard to help my players become the best version of themselves on and off the court. I want to be a mentor to my players to help them become the best athletes and prepare them for life after college."
Denardo was also a big piece of the recruiting effort at Howard Payne. He evaluated talent, coordinated campus visits, and conducted video presentations with recruits. In addition, Denardo developed relationships with international recruiters and established partnerships with community colleges and high schools in Texas to find and recruit potential recruits.
"I am looking for players who are hard-working and have a fire inside of them," continued Denardo. "Whether they are from Iowa, other states in the Midwest or international, if they are willing to work, then I want them on my team."
Denardo graduated from Howard Payne with both a Bachelor's degree and a Master's of business administration while competing for the Yellow Jackets from 2018-2021.
"I would like to thank my family for all their support. I would not be the person I am today without them. I would also like to thank Hunter Sims and Dr. Cory Hines who showed me how to be a great leader. I would also like to thank my previous coaches Craig Johnson, Chris Tolson, and Brandon Hettick. Lastly, I want to thank Howard Payne Head Coach Danielle Henkel for setting me up for this next step in my career."
The Peacock tennis team will begin its 2023 spring season in mid-February against Bemidji State University and the University of Minnesota Crookston in Winona, Minn. on Feb. 18-19.
