Cristina Sanchez-Quintanar joined the UCF women's tennis staff as an assistant coach in August 2016. She joins the Knights after playing professionally on the WTA from 2014-16, ranking as high as No. 365 in singles competition and No. 343 in double action. She was a doubles champion at five Future Tournaments and played in the finals of seven single events, winning one in Madrid, Spain.
UCF picked up right where they left off after a shortened 2020 campaign. After dropping the first two matches of the season, the Knights went on to win 12 of their next 13. The Knights continued to hang around the high teens and low twenties in the Oracle/ITA team rankings for the majority of the season until they crossed paths with No. 4 FSU late in the campaign. Despite losing the doubles point, the Black and Gold were able to rally from behind as Valeriya Zeleva clinched the match as the last court standing, earning UCF's first win over a top five team in program history. The win shot the Knights up to No. 8 in the team rankings, their highest mark ever. The momentum continued from there as the Knights blew past South Florida, Houston and No. 46 Tulsa on their way to their second straight American Athletic Conference title. The Knights earned the No. 9 national seed in the NCAA Tournament and the right to host the first two rounds for the first time in program history. UCF swept Charleston Southern in the first round, leading to a rematch with No. 23 Miami, who the Knights had swept earlier in the season. After losing the doubles point, the Black and Gold won all six first sets and went on to their second consecutive Sweet 16 with a 4-1 victory. UCF's run came to an end at the hands of No. 18 Duke in the third round with a record of 20-5, achieving a 20-win season for the third time in the Koniecko era. The Black and Gold can make the claim that they're state champs after going 10-0 against seven different in state opponents, including a pair of wins against Florida and Miami.
In 2019, Sanchez-Quintanar earned the honor of being named the ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year. She helped guide the Knights to a 24-4 record in the program’s best season to date. She also won the ITA Southeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year, which made her eligible for the ITA National award. On the court, she played a major role in coaching Marie Mattel to being named The American Freshman of the Year.
Prior to her professional career, Sanchez-Quintanar attended Texas A&M where she was a three-sport athlete, competing in tennis, basketball and soccer from 2011-14. She is the only female in Aggies history to qualify for the NCAA Tournament in three sports.
On the tennis court, the Spaniard was a two-time All-American, ranking as high as fifth in singles and No. 18 in doubles. Individually, she qualified for the NCAA Singles Championships three times with her top finishing coming in 2012 when she reached the quarterfinals. After winning the SEC singles and doubles championships in 2013, Sanchez-Quintanar went on to lead the Aggies to a runner-up finish in the NCAA Team Championships.
Sanchez-Quintanar capped off a championship senior year with additional postseason appearances in basketball and soccer, winning the SEC Championship and reaching the Sweet Sixteen on the pitch in the fall of 2013 and then going to the Elite Eight on the hardwood in the winter of 2014.
UCF picked up right where they left off after a shortened 2020 campaign. After dropping the first two matches of the season, the Knights went on to win 12 of their next 13. The Knights continued to hang around the high teens and low twenties in the Oracle/ITA team rankings for the majority of the season until they crossed paths with No. 4 FSU late in the campaign. Despite losing the doubles point, the Black and Gold were able to rally from behind as Valeriya Zeleva clinched the match as the last court standing, earning UCF's first win over a top five team in program history. The win shot the Knights up to No. 8 in the team rankings, their highest mark ever. The momentum continued from there as the Knights blew past South Florida, Houston and No. 46 Tulsa on their way to their second straight American Athletic Conference title. The Knights earned the No. 9 national seed in the NCAA Tournament and the right to host the first two rounds for the first time in program history. UCF swept Charleston Southern in the first round, leading to a rematch with No. 23 Miami, who the Knights had swept earlier in the season. After losing the doubles point, the Black and Gold won all six first sets and went on to their second consecutive Sweet 16 with a 4-1 victory. UCF's run came to an end at the hands of No. 18 Duke in the third round with a record of 20-5, achieving a 20-win season for the third time in the Koniecko era. The Black and Gold can make the claim that they're state champs after going 10-0 against seven different in state opponents, including a pair of wins against Florida and Miami.
In 2019, Sanchez-Quintanar earned the honor of being named the ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year. She helped guide the Knights to a 24-4 record in the program’s best season to date. She also won the ITA Southeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year, which made her eligible for the ITA National award. On the court, she played a major role in coaching Marie Mattel to being named The American Freshman of the Year.
Prior to her professional career, Sanchez-Quintanar attended Texas A&M where she was a three-sport athlete, competing in tennis, basketball and soccer from 2011-14. She is the only female in Aggies history to qualify for the NCAA Tournament in three sports.
On the tennis court, the Spaniard was a two-time All-American, ranking as high as fifth in singles and No. 18 in doubles. Individually, she qualified for the NCAA Singles Championships three times with her top finishing coming in 2012 when she reached the quarterfinals. After winning the SEC singles and doubles championships in 2013, Sanchez-Quintanar went on to lead the Aggies to a runner-up finish in the NCAA Team Championships.
Sanchez-Quintanar capped off a championship senior year with additional postseason appearances in basketball and soccer, winning the SEC Championship and reaching the Sweet Sixteen on the pitch in the fall of 2013 and then going to the Elite Eight on the hardwood in the winter of 2014.