DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke women's tennis head coach Jamie Ashworth recently announced the addition of Michelle Dasso as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2015-16 season. In addition, Ashworth promoted six-year Duke assistant coach Marc Spicijaric to associate head coach. Dasso comes to Durham following a nine-year stint as the head coach of the University of Illinois' women's tennis team.
“Michelle has been great,” Ashworth said. “I coached against her as a player. We recruited her here originally. She ended up going to Notre Dame and playing there. I had a ton of respect for her as a player, and then she started her coaching career at Notre Dame and was an assistant there before moving on to Illinois. We've always talked about trying to get her here somehow, so for her to be willing to come in as a volunteer to help our program is great. The reason she came here is that she knows the type of player that we have, and the ability that we have to do some really good things this year. I think that enticed her to finally make that move.”
Dasso owns a wealth of coaching experience from her time with Illinois. In addition to coaching the doubles tandem of Melissa Kopinski and Rachael White to All-America honors in 2013, she also helped lead the team to a No. 18 ranking during the 2012 campaign. Dasso, a native of Long Grove, Ill., brought some of the top talent to Illinois during her tenure, as the team's 2010 recruiting class ranked No. 4 in the nation and the 2015 recruiting class ranked 11th in the country. Dasso served on the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division I Operating Board from 2010-2015 while coaching at Illinois, as well.
Prior to her head coaching career, Dasso served as an assistant women's tennis coach at her alma mater, Notre Dame, from 2003-2006. In 2006, Dasso's efforts were recognized by the ITA, as she garnered the National Assistant Coach of the Year award.
During her playing career at Notre Dame, Dasso saw one of the most successful careers in program history. Upon graduation in 2001, Dasso was the only four-time All-America recipient in the history of Notre Dame women's tennis. In her final season with the Fighting Irish, Dasso was named the ITA National Senior Player of the Year and concluded her career as the school record holder in career singles wins (140), career doubles wins (109) and season singles victories (40).
“I still love to be on court,” Dasso said. “I know having a driven and competitive spirit is a huge part of being a successful college player. As a student-athlete, you have a lot of demands pulling you in many different directions, so time management is key. It's also important to realize and understand early on that your four years will go by quick, so enjoy the process and make the most of it. I think that's why I'm still in the coaching world and still love what I do, because I personally had such a good experience at Notre Dame and want the student-athletes I work with to have a similar experience. Duke is a top-notch program and I'm enjoying and appreciating working with Jamie, Marc and the team on a daily basis.”
Spicijaric, hailing from Wesley Chapel, Fla., has played an integral role in the development of the Duke women's tennis team over his six-year career with the Blue Devils.
“He's been, really, everything to our program over the last few years, from recruiting, from day-to-day operations, from individual work, and I think that the girls truly love having him on the court,” Ashworth said. “He's been an unbelievable asset to have for the last six years. And for his future and his benefit, this has been a great opportunity for him to have, and for our program to have.”
With Spicijaric in Durham, the Blue Devils have compiled an overall record of 136-41. Duke has registered 23 All-ACC honorees and six All-America selections over that stretch. Spicijaric has helped recruit some of the top classes in the nation, including Duke's 2011 class, which ranked first in the country, and the team's 2015 class, which ranked second. Last season, with Spicijaric's assistance, the team reached the NCAA Tennis Championship Tournament for the 27th time in program history.
“Obviously, I'm not in this profession for recognition, so it is nice to be acknowledged for the hard work and commitment that I've put in over the years,” Spicijaric said. “I'm extremely grateful to Jamie and to the administration for this recognition, but again, that's not why I do this job or do what I do. I care tremendously about the girls on the team, the program and the university, so having this acknowledgement is a nice feeling, but not why I'm out here.”
The Duke women's tennis team opens play in 2016 at the UNLV Invitational in Las Vegas, Nev., Jan. 15-17.
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