The Florida Gators men’s tennis team aims to rebuild its program this fall under second-year head coach Adam Steinberg, with some fresh faces by his side.
Following the 2024 spring slate, Steinberg was tasked with replacing both his associate head coach and assistant coach after Mat Cloer and Scott Perelman’s departure.
“They were obviously two very, very tough guys to lose and to replace,” Steinberg said. “Matt and Coach P did an amazing job here, but I knew the level of coaches I needed for this program, so I went out to find the best.”
Steinberg’s extensive coaching search garnered substantial interest, but in the end of the hiring process, Max Koller and Anthony Rossi joined Florida’s staff.
“Both of these guys' knowledge of tennis, their knowledge of college tennis … their experience working in the community, their relationships with their past players — all of that [thought] went into hiring these guys,” Steinberg said.
Former UF graduate Koller will be the Gators men’s tennis assistant coach in the upcoming season. His resume includes time at Oklahoma State and UC Santa Barbara where he led the Gauchos to a 22-4 season and a conference title.
“It has always been my goal to coach at my alma mater,” Koller said. “The opportunity to be able to come back and coach for this program, which is a top program in the United States, and do it at a place that I care so deeply about, and being able to do it at a high level — I couldn’t describe it. It’s a good feeling.”
Koller drew valuable lessons from each previous coaching experience, ultimately shaping him into the coach he is today and reinforcing his confidence to excel professionally, he said.
At UCSB, Koller managed the team's day-to-day operations and focused on motivating and inspiring his players. The Gauchos reached a program-high national ranking of No. 26 that season.
With the Cowboys, Koller learned the art of developing tennis with high-level players while learning from experienced coaches such as Dustin Taylor and Martin Redlicki.
Koller’s goal at UF is to help bring the Gators back to the top of college tennis.
“Knowing that we're doing it the right way and building the foundation on the front end, and really diving into culture and bringing the right people into the building over the course of time, I'm confident with Coach Steinberg and Coach Rossi and myself, that we can lead this group back to top five in the country, competing for national titles,” Koller said.
Associate head coach Rossi brings a unique background to the staff, with six years of head coaching and success with the Virginia Commonwealth University Rams, as well as a Hall of Fame playing career with the Kentucky Wildcats.
“Obviously, when you talk about Florida, it’s one of the best athletic programs, if not the best in the country,” Rossi said. “My playing years at Kentucky have helped me understand what that conference and what Florida is all about.”
Given the SEC’s nature, Rossi’s experience at Kentucky as a player and a coach is a huge benefit Steinberg found.
“VCU being a mid-major, the schedule is not the same,” Rossi said. “We still had a strong schedule, but it’s not the same as the SEC and the pressure that you might have every week. So, having played those matches and understanding what it's all about.”
Both coaches prioritize building strong relationships with their players and fellow coaches.
Rossi tries to put himself in everybody else's shoes to recognize not every player can be coached in the same way. He spends time understanding their background and where they come from, he said.
As the fall season quickly approaches, the Gators squad — once filled with talented freshmen and strong leaders — has become a more experienced team. Steinberg, along with his new coaches, aims to advance the program farther.
“We have a lot to prove,” Steinberg said. “We're young. I thought we had a pretty good year, but we want to make a statement right from the beginning. I think for this team, as soon as the fall season starts, we got to hit the ground running and show the country, show the conference that we're for real and make a statement early and not wait.”
Contact Chandler Hawkes at chawkes@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @HawkesChandler.
