SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The University of Illinois Springfield Athletics Department announced today that Raul Quevedo has been named the head coach of the Prairie Stars tennis program. Quevedo has been a member of the UIS coaching staff for the last three years, including serving as the Interim Head Coach during the 2019-20 seasons.
"Raul has played a large role in the success of the UIS tennis program over the last three years," said Director of Athletics Peyton Deterding. "In being around the program, he has inside knowledge on what it takes to continue our recent success, and I expect him to continue the program's upward rise towards the top of the GLVC."
"I am very excited and grateful for this opportunity," said Quevedo. "I want to thank Peyton Deterding and the search committee for trusting in me to lead this team to success. I look forward to taking these teams to new highs and contributing to the overall success of the athletic department. UIS is a great place to study, compete, and be part of the community. I can't wait to give student-athletes from all over the world the chance to experience what it means to be a Prairie Star."
Last season, Quevedo was the Interim Head Coach and oversaw all aspects of the program, including player development, recruiting, academic success, travel, and coaching staff management. UIS's men's team was off to a 5-2 start before its season was cancelled, and the women's team went 3-3.
Quevedo came to UIS in 2017 as an assistant coach. UIS improved its record in each of his two seasons as an assistant coach. In 2018-19, both teams were ranked among the top-50 teams in NCAA Division II, and just missed out on NCAA Tournament berths. The men's team finished that year with a 13-5 record, while the women's team went 14-5 and advanced to the GLVC Tournament Semifinals.
In his three seasons at UIS, three players earned all-GLVC honors, and his players earned seven GLVC Player of the Week awards. Off the court, Quevedo helped the Prairie Stars women consistently have around a 3.70 GPA, and the men's team were regularly above a 3.50 GPA. UIS tennis also assisted its community, performing over 200 community service hours each year.
Quevedo played competitive tennis in Spain for over 10 years. He was ranked in the top-25 in under-18 tennis, and won over 20 junior tournaments. He played four seasons at Young Harris College, and set a program record with 115 total wins.
Other tennis coaching jobs for Quevedo include being an Assistant Director for Tennis Europe in the Summer of 2018 and 2019, a tennis coach at Carmel Valley Tennis Camp in 2015, and a tennis professional at Tennis Club de la Salut in Barcelona, Spain from 2010-13.
Quevedo graduated from Young Harris with a Bachelor of Science in Business and Public Policy in 2017. He graduated Summa Cum Laude, was a CoSIDA Academic All-American, and earned the PBC Elite 15 award. He earned a Master of Business Administration in 2020 from UIS, and graduated in the top 1% of the graduating class.