WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue women's tennis head coach Laura Glitz announced Monday that former player Daniela Vidal has been hired as the Boilermakers' assistant coach.
Vidal spent the 2018-19 season as a volunteer coach for Purdue.
"Dani brings a wealth of experience as a player and as a coach," Glitz said. "She will push our players everyday on and off the court to help each of them reach her full potential. The team will benefit from her in so many ways. She will be a great role model and mentor, and I look forward to her jumping into the assistant position.
"Dani was a successful Boilermaker. She was a team player, a very hard worker and a fierce competitor."
Vidal played at Purdue from 2011 to 2015. She was a member of the first senior class to qualify for the NCAA Championships in four consecutive seasons. Vidal helped propel the Boilermakers to the program's first Big Ten Tournament championship in 2012.
As a senior, Vidal played every dual match at No. 1 singles and all but three doubles matches at No. 1 with Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum. The duo was ranked as high as No. 24 nationally. The ITA recognized Vidal as the Ohio Valley Region Most Improved Senior of the Year.
For her career, Vidal boasted an 88-54 singles record and an 87-44 doubles mark.
"I am extremely grateful and honored to be given this opportunity to coach at my alma mater," Vidal said. "I am overjoyed to be able to coach alongside Laura. I can't thank Laura, Nancy Cross (women's tennis sport administrator) and everyone in the athletics department that helped me throughout this process.
"I know how much this department and community can provide for all student-athletes since I was one of them once."
Vidal served as a graduate assistant coach at Eastern Michigan from 2016 to 2018, earning a master's degree in sports management.
A native of Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela, Vidal earned a bachelor's degree in speech, language and hearing science from Purdue in 2015.
Vidal spent the 2018-19 season as a volunteer coach for Purdue.
"Dani brings a wealth of experience as a player and as a coach," Glitz said. "She will push our players everyday on and off the court to help each of them reach her full potential. The team will benefit from her in so many ways. She will be a great role model and mentor, and I look forward to her jumping into the assistant position.
"Dani was a successful Boilermaker. She was a team player, a very hard worker and a fierce competitor."
Vidal played at Purdue from 2011 to 2015. She was a member of the first senior class to qualify for the NCAA Championships in four consecutive seasons. Vidal helped propel the Boilermakers to the program's first Big Ten Tournament championship in 2012.
As a senior, Vidal played every dual match at No. 1 singles and all but three doubles matches at No. 1 with Tess Bernard-Feigenbaum. The duo was ranked as high as No. 24 nationally. The ITA recognized Vidal as the Ohio Valley Region Most Improved Senior of the Year.
For her career, Vidal boasted an 88-54 singles record and an 87-44 doubles mark.
"I am extremely grateful and honored to be given this opportunity to coach at my alma mater," Vidal said. "I am overjoyed to be able to coach alongside Laura. I can't thank Laura, Nancy Cross (women's tennis sport administrator) and everyone in the athletics department that helped me throughout this process.
"I know how much this department and community can provide for all student-athletes since I was one of them once."
Vidal served as a graduate assistant coach at Eastern Michigan from 2016 to 2018, earning a master's degree in sports management.
A native of Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela, Vidal earned a bachelor's degree in speech, language and hearing science from Purdue in 2015.