Staff Directory
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
Tari Ann Toro is in her fifth season as assistant coach for the Tar Heel women's tennis team. Over the course of Toro's tenure at UNC, the team has garnered a 92-35 dual match record and made four consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, reaching the quarterfinals in 2005.
With Toro as assistant coach, the Tar Heels have had nine All-ACC selections over four seasons, with Jenna Long and Katrina Tsang earning honors in 2007. Long and fellow NCAA doubles champion Sara Anundsen were All-America honorees in 2006 and 2007, Aniela Mojzis was an All-America selection in both 2004 and 2005, and Kendall Cline also earned All-America honors in 2005. For her efforts during the 2005-06 season, Toro was named the ITA Southeast Region Assistant Coach of the Year.
A 1999 graduate of the College of William & Mary with a degree in psychology, Toro was a member of the women's tennis team there from 1995 to 1999, playing under the tutelage of current UNC head coach Brian Kalbas. After graduating, Toro was the assistant coach at the University of Miami from 2000 to 2003 and then came to Carolina as an assistant coach in 2003.
At William & Mary, Toro was one of the most decorated players in school history. She posted the sixth-best singles record in W&M history at 111-48 and her doubles record was also one of the best in the program at 96-27 overall. Playing primarily at the No. 1 and No. 2 singles spots and the No. 1 doubles flight her senior year, Toro was named the Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year. In 1999, Toro was named not only to the All-CAA team, but was also honored as the Mark H. McCormack Most Valuable Player by her teammates.
Toro was also honored with the William & Mary's President Award, an honor given to the student-athlete who has shown leadership, sportsmanship and excellence throughout their career.
"Tari Ann always strived to improve and was extremely coachable," says head coach Brian Kalbas. "She brings the same dedication as a coach as well as an enormous amount of experience. Combine that with her outstanding work ethic and ability to relate to the players, and we have one of the top assistant coaches in the country."
A native of Puerto Rico, Toro played in the Fed Cup competition the year after graduating from William & Mary. Toro's sister, Mari Michelle, graduated from the University of Miami where she was also a member of the women's tennis team.
