Starting his fifth season with the Knights in 2013-14, Tony Giannoni was hired as UCF[apos]s assistant coach on June 26, 2009. He came to Orlando after spending two seasons as the University of Florida[apos]s volunteer assistant coach.
In his first year with the Knights, the Black and Gold went 13-7 and 4-1 in Conference USA, that included victories over Michigan State, New Mexico, Memphis, UAB and East Carolina. UCF opened the dual-match season by going 9-2, marking its best start since 1998-99.
Individually, Jenny Frisell was routinely ranked among the top singles players in the country, including a No. 83 ranking during the 2009-10 season. And Taylor Dubins claimed a singles title at the UNF Fall Invitational.
The following season, UCF completed 2010-11 with a 12-8 mark with a 3-1 record in C-USA. That was highlighted by wins against UAB, Miami (Ohio), Marquette, East Carolina, Memphis and FAU. The Knights, who were ranked in the top-70 during the year, earned a No. 5 seed for the C-USA Championship, which was their highest since joining the league in 2005-06.
When 2010-11 wrapped up, Jenna Doerfler claimed the ITA Summer Circuit title at Florida State, and Courtney Griffith won the backdraw at the ITA Summer Circuit event at Georgia.
The Knights then faced 10 nationally-ranked opponents in the 2012 dual-match season, and completed the year with 10 overall victories. Taylor Dubins not only led the team with 18 singles victories and ended the season with a seven-match winning streak, but she was voted onto the C-USA All-Academic Team as well.
UCF busted out for 14 victories a year later in 2012-13, marking its most wins since the 1999-00 season. Freshman Caroline Eberhart racked up 25 singles triumphs, placing her fourth on the Knights[apos] single-season record book, while Genevieve Lorbergs climbed to ninth with 22. Eventually, Lorbergs would be voted on to the All-C-USA First Team.
A graduate from Florida in 2005 with a bachelor[apos]s degree in psychology, Giannoni helped the Gators reach the Sweet Sixteen in last year[apos]s NCAA Tournament and the Final Four in 2008. A native of Miami, he also was a tennis instructor at the DB Racquet Club in Gainesville beginning in 2005 and assisted the Florida men[apos]s team as a stringer in 2005-06.