Xavier Announces Promotion of Tennis' Doug Matthews, Ryan Rasco
01.10.23 | Men's Tennis, Women's Tennis
Doug Matthews promoted to Director of Tennis, will remain the women’s tennis head coach; Ryan Rasco named men's tennis head coach
CINCINNATI - Xavier Athletics announced the promotion of two members of the Xavier Tennis program. Doug Matthews, who has been the men's and women's head coach since 2015, was promoted to Director of Tennis. He will remain the women's tennis head coach while Ryan Rasco has been named the head coach of men's tennis program.
"Doug Matthews has done a tremendous job building our tennis programs and has our women's program battling at the top of the BIG EAST Conference on an annual basis," said Greg Christopher, Xavier University Vice President for Administration and Director of Athletics. "Doug's promotion to Director of Tennis allows him to continue the growth of our women's program as head coach, while also providing a smooth transition for Ryan (Rasco) to take over as head coach of Xavier men's tennis. Ryan has earned this opportunity after proving himself as an integral part of the success for both programs."
Matthews, a 2009 Xavier graduate, has been at the helm of the Xavier program since the 2015-16 season. Since taking over, Matthews has led the Musketeer women to three BIG EAST Conference titles and automatic bids to the NCAA Championships. During his tenure, Matthews has coached a combined 150 dual wins between the two programs, including a program-record matching 22 wins for the Xavier women during the 2019 spring season.
Matthews and his staff have been named BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year on the Women's side three times (2016, 2021, 2022). Among the student-athletes Matthews has coached on the women's side are 15 All-BIG EAST selections, including 2016 Player of the Year Sydney Liggins, 2019 Freshman of the Year Emily Thomas, and 2021 Freshman of the Year Anna Roggenburk. Matthews also coached stand-out Ahmeir Kyle, who earned All-BIG EAST in each of her four full seasons and became the first Musketeer on the women's side to compete in the NCAA Singles Championship.
"I'd like to thank Greg Christopher and Seth Breitenstein for this opportunity," said Matthews. "I believe this change will benefit our student athletes tremendously. I'd also like to congratulate Coach Rasco. He has been a huge part of our success since 2016 and I know he is excited and ready for this opportunity. We are determined to have both programs compete for BIG EAST Championships for years to come."
Matthews, who is a member of the Xavier Athletics Hall of Fame, also made his mark on the Xavier program as a student athlete, playing for the Musketeers from 2005-09, leading Xavier to back-to-back Atlantic 10 Conference championships in his junior and senior years. Those squads made the first-ever men's tennis team appearances in the NCAA Tournament, in 2008 and 2009. The long list of accomplishments Matthews earned as a student-athlete while at Xavier include being named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference team four consecutive years, earning an Atlantic 10's Rookie of the Year award in 2006, and being named the Atlantic 10's Most Outstanding Performer in 2008 and 2009.
Rasco, a 2008 graduate of St. Phillip's College in San Antonio, Texas, has been with the Xavier program since 2016, assisting Matthews with both the men's and women's program.
"I'd like to thank our AD Greg Christopher and our Director of Tennis Doug Matthews for this amazing opportunity," said Rasco. "I look forward to building upon the success that Jim Brockhoff and most recently Doug Matthews have put in place. We have a great group of young men in the program. I know great things are in store for them and look forward to the opportunity of working with them."
With the men's program, Rasco has most recently helped Xavier's men tennis to a strong 2022 season, finishing with 12 wins, the most wins since the 2015-16 season. The Musketeers advanced to the BIG EAST Semifinals for the first time since 2016 after earning the No. 3 seed, the program's highest seed in the BIG EAST Championship since joining the conference in 2013-14.
Men's student athletes Rasco helped coach during his time at Xavier include six all-conference selections. Among those are current Musketeer Ryan Cahill, an All-BIG EAST Selection in 2022, following his freshman season, and Diego Nava, a unanimous selection to the All-BIG EAST First Team in 2022 who was ranked as high as No. 52 in the ITA singles rankings during the season, and earned a spot in the NCAA Singles Championships.
"Doug Matthews has done a tremendous job building our tennis programs and has our women's program battling at the top of the BIG EAST Conference on an annual basis," said Greg Christopher, Xavier University Vice President for Administration and Director of Athletics. "Doug's promotion to Director of Tennis allows him to continue the growth of our women's program as head coach, while also providing a smooth transition for Ryan (Rasco) to take over as head coach of Xavier men's tennis. Ryan has earned this opportunity after proving himself as an integral part of the success for both programs."
Matthews, a 2009 Xavier graduate, has been at the helm of the Xavier program since the 2015-16 season. Since taking over, Matthews has led the Musketeer women to three BIG EAST Conference titles and automatic bids to the NCAA Championships. During his tenure, Matthews has coached a combined 150 dual wins between the two programs, including a program-record matching 22 wins for the Xavier women during the 2019 spring season.
Matthews and his staff have been named BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year on the Women's side three times (2016, 2021, 2022). Among the student-athletes Matthews has coached on the women's side are 15 All-BIG EAST selections, including 2016 Player of the Year Sydney Liggins, 2019 Freshman of the Year Emily Thomas, and 2021 Freshman of the Year Anna Roggenburk. Matthews also coached stand-out Ahmeir Kyle, who earned All-BIG EAST in each of her four full seasons and became the first Musketeer on the women's side to compete in the NCAA Singles Championship.
"I'd like to thank Greg Christopher and Seth Breitenstein for this opportunity," said Matthews. "I believe this change will benefit our student athletes tremendously. I'd also like to congratulate Coach Rasco. He has been a huge part of our success since 2016 and I know he is excited and ready for this opportunity. We are determined to have both programs compete for BIG EAST Championships for years to come."
Matthews, who is a member of the Xavier Athletics Hall of Fame, also made his mark on the Xavier program as a student athlete, playing for the Musketeers from 2005-09, leading Xavier to back-to-back Atlantic 10 Conference championships in his junior and senior years. Those squads made the first-ever men's tennis team appearances in the NCAA Tournament, in 2008 and 2009. The long list of accomplishments Matthews earned as a student-athlete while at Xavier include being named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference team four consecutive years, earning an Atlantic 10's Rookie of the Year award in 2006, and being named the Atlantic 10's Most Outstanding Performer in 2008 and 2009.
Rasco, a 2008 graduate of St. Phillip's College in San Antonio, Texas, has been with the Xavier program since 2016, assisting Matthews with both the men's and women's program.
"I'd like to thank our AD Greg Christopher and our Director of Tennis Doug Matthews for this amazing opportunity," said Rasco. "I look forward to building upon the success that Jim Brockhoff and most recently Doug Matthews have put in place. We have a great group of young men in the program. I know great things are in store for them and look forward to the opportunity of working with them."
With the men's program, Rasco has most recently helped Xavier's men tennis to a strong 2022 season, finishing with 12 wins, the most wins since the 2015-16 season. The Musketeers advanced to the BIG EAST Semifinals for the first time since 2016 after earning the No. 3 seed, the program's highest seed in the BIG EAST Championship since joining the conference in 2013-14.
Men's student athletes Rasco helped coach during his time at Xavier include six all-conference selections. Among those are current Musketeer Ryan Cahill, an All-BIG EAST Selection in 2022, following his freshman season, and Diego Nava, a unanimous selection to the All-BIG EAST First Team in 2022 who was ranked as high as No. 52 in the ITA singles rankings during the season, and earned a spot in the NCAA Singles Championships.