Photo by: San Diego Athletics
Rich Bonfiglio Joins Columbia Men's Tennis Staff
7/25/2019 12:57:00 PM | Men's Tennis
Following three seasons as an assistant coach at San Diego, Bonfiglio will serve in the same role alongside first-year head coach Howard Endelman
NEW YORK — Rich Bonfiglio has been named an assistant coach for the Columbia men's tennis team, Bidyut K. Goswami Head Coach of Men's Tennis Howard Endelman announced this week.
A native of Bronxville, New York, Bonfiglio brings more than a decade of experience in the world of collegiate tennis. Most recently, he spent three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of San Diego, where he was named 2018 tasc Performance ITA Assistant Coach of the Year for the Southwest region.
"Rich is a great addition to the Columbia program," Endelman said. "His energy and enthusiasm light up a room. I think every current and future member of the Columbia Tennis family will love Rich because of his character, values and commitment to the program. We are always looking for the right people to join us on our mission, and Rich is a great fit to help make the scholar-athlete experience for a tennis player at Columbia the best anywhere."
Bonfiglio joins Endelman '87CC in his inaugural season at the helm after officially assuming the head coaching position July 1. Endelman served as associate head coach for the past nine years, helping Columbia ascend the national ranks. The Lions have won six-straight Ivy League titles, reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in four of the last six seasons, and finished the 2019 campaign ranked No. 16 nationally.
In his three seasons at San Diego, Bonfiglio helped lead the Toreros to three-straight West Coast Conference Tournament titles, two regular season WCC championships and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament twice. In his final season with the program in 2019, USD finished in the ITA Top 25 for just the second time in program history, advancing to the NCAA Round of 32 for the second consecutive year. To cap off the year, August Holmgren and Joel Gamerov became the program's first-ever doubles All-Americans, while Bonfiglio also helped guide Gui Osorio to WCC Player of the Year honors in 2019.
"I'm extremely excited to begin working at Columbia University," said Bonfiglio. "I would like to thank Coach Endelman and everyone in the Columbia Athletics department for this amazing opportunity to work at such a prestigious academic and athletic institution. I'm looking forward to helping Coach Endelman continue Columbia's rich tennis tradition in the Ivy League and on the national stage. Go Lions!"
Prior to his stint at San Diego, Bonfiglio got his coaching start at his alma mater, Trinity College, where he served as an assistant coach from 2011-2014. He spent the 2014-15 campaign as an assistant men's and women's coach at Ithaca College. At Ithaca, he helped the men's team to a runner-up finish in in the Empire 8 Conference while the women's squad won the league and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Bonfiglio spent the 2015-16 season as an assistant men's coach at Amherst College, helping lead the Mammoths to a No. 7 national ranking in Division III and helping land the top-ranked recruiting class. The season saw two players named All-America selections.
After beginning his collegiate playing career at Middlebury College, Bonfiglio transferred to Trinity where he helped the Bantams finish in the top-20 of NCAA Division III in back-to-back seasons from 2009-11.
Bonfiglio graduated from Trinity College with a bachelor's degree in public policy and law in 2011, before continuing on to earn his master's degree from Trinity in public policy in 2014.
For the latest on the Columbia men's tennis, follow @ColumbiaMTennis on Twitter and Instagram, and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
A native of Bronxville, New York, Bonfiglio brings more than a decade of experience in the world of collegiate tennis. Most recently, he spent three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of San Diego, where he was named 2018 tasc Performance ITA Assistant Coach of the Year for the Southwest region.
"Rich is a great addition to the Columbia program," Endelman said. "His energy and enthusiasm light up a room. I think every current and future member of the Columbia Tennis family will love Rich because of his character, values and commitment to the program. We are always looking for the right people to join us on our mission, and Rich is a great fit to help make the scholar-athlete experience for a tennis player at Columbia the best anywhere."
Bonfiglio joins Endelman '87CC in his inaugural season at the helm after officially assuming the head coaching position July 1. Endelman served as associate head coach for the past nine years, helping Columbia ascend the national ranks. The Lions have won six-straight Ivy League titles, reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in four of the last six seasons, and finished the 2019 campaign ranked No. 16 nationally.
In his three seasons at San Diego, Bonfiglio helped lead the Toreros to three-straight West Coast Conference Tournament titles, two regular season WCC championships and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament twice. In his final season with the program in 2019, USD finished in the ITA Top 25 for just the second time in program history, advancing to the NCAA Round of 32 for the second consecutive year. To cap off the year, August Holmgren and Joel Gamerov became the program's first-ever doubles All-Americans, while Bonfiglio also helped guide Gui Osorio to WCC Player of the Year honors in 2019.
"I'm extremely excited to begin working at Columbia University," said Bonfiglio. "I would like to thank Coach Endelman and everyone in the Columbia Athletics department for this amazing opportunity to work at such a prestigious academic and athletic institution. I'm looking forward to helping Coach Endelman continue Columbia's rich tennis tradition in the Ivy League and on the national stage. Go Lions!"
Prior to his stint at San Diego, Bonfiglio got his coaching start at his alma mater, Trinity College, where he served as an assistant coach from 2011-2014. He spent the 2014-15 campaign as an assistant men's and women's coach at Ithaca College. At Ithaca, he helped the men's team to a runner-up finish in in the Empire 8 Conference while the women's squad won the league and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Bonfiglio spent the 2015-16 season as an assistant men's coach at Amherst College, helping lead the Mammoths to a No. 7 national ranking in Division III and helping land the top-ranked recruiting class. The season saw two players named All-America selections.
After beginning his collegiate playing career at Middlebury College, Bonfiglio transferred to Trinity where he helped the Bantams finish in the top-20 of NCAA Division III in back-to-back seasons from 2009-11.
Bonfiglio graduated from Trinity College with a bachelor's degree in public policy and law in 2011, before continuing on to earn his master's degree from Trinity in public policy in 2014.
For the latest on the Columbia men's tennis, follow @ColumbiaMTennis on Twitter and Instagram, and on the web at GoColumbiaLions.com.
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