GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Tusculum University has named Garcian D'Cruz as the head coach of the Pioneer men's and women's tennis programs according to Josh Ealy, vice president of athletics.
D'Cruz comes to Greeneville after serving last season on the men's tennis staff at NCAA Division I Elon University where the Phoenix posted a 16-8 record and advanced to the Colonial Athletic Association championship match. The Phoenix boasted five All-CAA performers in 2024 as Elon finished the year strong winning four of its last five matches. The Phoenix rebounded from an 0-3 start while rattling off wins in 13 of their next 15 contests. Elon ended the season ranked ninth in the ITA Carolina Regional.
D'Cruz was also on the Elon faculty where he was an adjunct instructor.
Before coming to Elon, he was the director of athletics at the Old State North Club in New London, North Carolina where he oversaw the entire athletic department and ran USTA and UTR leagues and tournaments.
"We are very excited to welcome Coach D'Cruz to the Tusculum family," said Ealy. "He will bring a lot of positive energy and enthusiasm to our tennis teams. He has been a successful coach at multiple levels and we can't wait to see his impact on our tennis programs."
He also served as tennis coach at Lake Norman Charter High School in Charlotte for two years (2021-2023), helping the men's team win two conference championships and two conference tournament crowns.
Prior to Lake Norman, he was the tennis coach at Thomas Jefferson Academy in Mooresville, North Carolina during the 2020-21 academic year. He led the women's team to 2021 Conference Championship. He was named the 2020 Women's Conference Coach of the Year and the 2021 Men's Conference Coach of the Year.
"I am incredibly honored to be named the head coach of the Tusculum tennis program," D'Cruz said. "I'd like to thank Josh Ealy for giving me the opportunity to coach TU Tennis and also extend my gratitude to the incredible team I had at Elon University. I am ready to get to work and excited to be a Pioneer."
He also spent previous stints working as the director of tennis at Prosperity Athletic Club in Charlotte and the Cleveland Country Club in Shelby, North Carolina.
D'Cruz is a native of Chapel Hill, North Carolina and a 2017 Elon graduate where he earned a bachelor's degree in marketing. He later earned a sports industry certificate from Columbia University in 2019 and is completing his master's degree in sports management at Western Carolina University.
D'Cruz becomes the 11th head coach in the successful history of the Tusculum tennis program and the sixth in the NCAA Division II era (1998-present). Since 2000, the Pioneers have accounted for 13 South Atlantic Conference championships, seven SAC Tournament titles and have made a combined 19 NCAA Tournament appearances.
