Andres V. Brandi
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University of Florida
2012
Holding the title as the coach with the highest winning percentage (91.5) in NCAA tennis history, Puerto Rican native Andres Brandi (b. 1952) began playing tennis at age 8 as a protégé of Welby Van Horn. After he achieved junior national rankings in all divisions, Trinity University awarded Brandi an athletic scholarship to play for the NCAA Division I Tigers men’s tennis team from 1972 through 1975.
Through years of touring as a pro, Brandi realized his passion was grooming rising stars. In 1984, he accepted the head coach position of the University of Florida’s women’s tennis team, where he cultivated the Lady Gators into a national powerhouse. During his 16 years of leadership, the Lady Gators won 3 NCAA National Tournament championships, 6 National Indoor Tennis championships and 14 Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships.
After leaving UF, Brandi served as Director of Tennis for IMG at the Evert Tennis Academy, as Partner in the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute, and joined the USTA staff as a national coach in 2010. Brandi and wife Nancy have one son, Chris, who continued the tennis heritage as a coach and member of the 2011 Puerto Rican Davis Cup Team.
Career Highlights
- Director and Touring Pro for Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy – 1983 – 1984
Head Coach University of Florida Women’s Tennis – 1984 – 2001
National Indoor Tennis Championship – 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1999
NCAA Tournament Championship – 1992, 1996, 1998
NCAA Tournament Runners-up – 1988, 1990, 1995, 1997, 1999
NCAA Singles Championship – 1988, 1992, 1993, 1996
NCAA Doubles Championship – 1991, 1996, 1997, 2001
Southeastern Conference Championship – 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001
Southeastern Conference Tournament Championship – 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000
Undefeated regular seasons – 1987, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1997, 1998
Ranked #1 in regular season play 27 times
SEC Academic Honor Roll for 32 student-athletes on 56 occasions
38 student-athletes to 108 All-SEC Honors
25 student-athletes to 68 All-American Honors
CoSIDA/GTE Academic All-American Honors for 7 student-athletes
Coached 13 student-athletes to 24 Grand Slam championship titles
3 student-athletes for 4 Honda Awards for Tennis
Career record: 460 – 43
Highest winning percentage (91.5%) in NCAA Division I tennis history
Home record vs. SEC opponents: 103 – 0
Coached Wimbledon and U.S. Open junior women’s teams – 1987
Coached Junior Whitman Cup and Siosbault Cup teams – 1987
Coached the Wellington Aces in Domino’s Pizza Team Tennis 1989
Co-hosted with UF men’s tennis coach Ian Duvenhage, a Pro-Am Tournament – 1991
Coached U.S. Team against Australia in Maureen Connolly Brinker Cup – 1998
ITA Southeast Region Coach of the Year – 1989, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1998
ITA National Coach of the Year – 1989, 1996
USPTA Florida Coach of the Year – 1988, 1990
USPTA National Coach of the Year – 1988, 1998
SEC Coach of the Year – 1988, 1993, 1996
USPTR Coach of the Year – 1996
USPTR Touring Coach of the Year – 2004
Inducted into the University of Florida Hall of Fame – 2006
FTA Junior Competitive Coach of the Year – 2006
USOC Coach of the Year – 2008
