Mario Rincon - Men's Tennis Coach - University of Louisville Athletic

Mario Rincon

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
mario@GoCards.com

Mario Rincon joined Rodrigo da Silva's men's tennis staff as an assistant coach in October 2019.

During his time in Louisville, Rincon helped guide the Cardinals to a pair of NCAA team tournament appearances (2022, 2023) including a regional final in 2023. Additionally, UofL earned bids to the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships in 2023 with the duo of Fabien Salle and Natan Rodrigues bringing home All-American honors. The Cardinals have been ranked in the top 25 in each of the last two seasons with six players nationally-ranked in singles and four doubles teams appearing among the top 85 in the nation.

Most recently, Louisville finished the 2023 season with a 17-12 overall record and earned its second straight at-large berth and 14th overall appearance in the NCAA tournament. After defeating Texas Tech in the first round, Louisville advanced to NCAA Regional Final for the first time since 2017. The 2023 campaign marked the third time in program history that the Cardinals earned NCAA tournament bids as a team as well as singles and doubles and the first since 2011.

In addition to the team accomplishments, several individuals also achieved impressive results on the court in the 2023 campaign. Etienne Donnet earned an at-large bid to the NCAA singles championship while Fabien Salle and Natan Rodrigues represented the Cardinals in doubles and earned All-America distinction after reaching the quarterfinals and finishing the season at No. 9 in the ITA doubles rankings. In the midst of a daunting ACC slate, Etienne was named to the All-ACC singles second team and Salle was a third team selection while the duo of Salle and Rodrigues earned second team All-ACC honors.

The 2021-22 squad produced a 19-8 overall record – marking the most wins since the 2017 squad went 22-10. Additionally, Louisville earned an at-large bid to the NCAA championship for the first time since 2017. The Cards also reached the semifinals of the ACC Championship after earning the No. 4 seed in the ACC tournament and compiling a 9-3 record ACC play – the best finish and most wins since joining the conference.

Louisville spent the final four weeks of the 2022 regular season ranked in the ITA top 25 team rankings, reaching as high as No. 23 – for the first time since the 2015 season. The results are even more impressive because they mark one of most impressive turnarounds in program history. In 2021, the Cardinals posted a 9-12 overall record and went 3-8 in the ACC. In one season, da Silva's Cardinals doubled their overall win total and tripled their league wins in one of the NCAA's most competitive conferences.

Rincon helped the Cardinals to a 9-6 overall record in the shortened 2020 season. While they were unable to complete the season, the Cardinals achieved several milestones which included junior Tin Chen becoming the first player in program history to win the ITA Ohio Valley Regional singles championship. Additionally, the Cardinals won singles and doubles titles at the Purdue Invitational and the Dick Vitale Clay Court Classic.

In the 2019-20 spring season, the young squad notched a 4-3 upset of No. 10 Virginia and a first round victory over New Mexico at the ITA Kick-Off Weekend. Louisville had registered a 2-1 record in ACC play and was preparing to take on Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., when the season was canceled due to COVID-19.

The 2020-21 campaign saw the NCAA fall season canceled and several dual matches canceled or impacted by COVID-19 guidelines. The Cardinals earned nine wins and appeared in the ITA Top 60 rankings five times, reaching as high as No. 49 and finishing the season at 51. Additionally, Louisville placed three singles players: Tin Chen, Fabien Salle and Sergio Hernandez, and two doubles teams: Salle/Matthew Fung and Hernandez/Chen in the ITA singles rankings. Salle and Hernandez earned All-ACC honors at the end of the season.

Rincon carries an impressive resume and a wealth of experience, both as a coach and a player. Before joining da Silva's staff, Rincon spent the three years in Duluth, Ga., where he served as the Director of Junior Programming for TPC Sugarloaf.

For 12 seasons (2004-16), Rincon was the head men’s tennis coach at the University of Miami where he directed the Hurricanes to 152 wins and five NCAA appearances. In 2006, Rincon was named ACC Coach of the Year after guiding Miami to a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference title. That season marked the first of two appearances in the NCAA round of 16. Additionally, the Hurricanes were ranked in the top 10 and finished the year at No. 11 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) national team rankings.

Rincon’s squad followed that season by qualifying for the 2007 National Team Indoor tournament.

The 2009 Hurricanes posted a runner-up finish in the ACC tournament and went on to advance to the NCAA round of 16 after upsetting No. 10-ranked Florida in Gainesville.

Under Rincon’s tutelage, Miami produced four All-Americans as well as the 2006 ACC Player of the Year, Luigi D’agord.

Prior to his stint at Miami, Rincon spent three seasons (2001-04) as an assistant coach at Alabama and helped direct the Crimson Tide to three NCAA tournament berths, a round of 16 showing in 2003 and two final top 20 rankings.

Before achieving success as a coach, Rincon built an outstanding playing resume. While playing for the University of Kentucky, he earned All-America honors in singles 1988 and won the SEC No. 2 singles flight in the conference tournament. He earned a bachelor of science degree in Agriculture, Education, Communication and Leadership from Kentucky in 2001.

After two seasons of collegiate tennis, Rincon spent nine years (1989-98) on the ATP tour, playing in each of the four Grand Slam events. On the ATP tour, Rincon was ranked as high as No. 193 in singles. He also competed in the Japanese pro tour for five years (1993-97), where he was ranked as high as No. 2 in singles.

The native of Duitama, Colombia represented his home country in nine Davis Cups from 1989-95.

Rincon was also selected to coach the USTA Collegiate Summer Team following the 2022 and 2023 seasons. In that capacity, he is one of two coaches on the men's team who provide assistance to any American collegians playing at tournaments throughout the summer.

Rincon and his wife, Laura, have three daughters.