GOISLANDERS.COM - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Administration
- Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics
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- Associate Athletic Trainer ( MBB )
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- Assistant AD for Annual Giving
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- Assistant Athletic Trainer ( WBB )
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- Executive Administrative Assistant
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- Assistant Coach Cross Country / Track & Field ( Throws )
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- Marketing and Fan Engagement Assistant
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- Assistant AD for Media Relations ( MBB, VB, Golf, TEN, BVB, SB )
- Athletic Communications
Job Titles:
- Associate Head Coach
- Associate Head Coach - Men 's Tennis
- Associate Head Coach - Tennis
A former No. 1 singles and doubles player for the Islanders and former team captain, Tave began his coaching career as a student assistant coach with the Islanders. Since then, Tave has been promoted to an assistant coach and then the associate head coach in fall 2016.
As a player, Tave had the winningest record on the team in 2011 for an Islanders team that reached No. 54 in Division I National Rankings. He played No. 1 singles, doubles and was team captain of an Islanders team that won back-to-back Southland Conference Championships and had back-to-back years in the national rankings.
"Aurelien was one of the toughest and smartest players I've ever coached," Director of Tennis Steve Moore said. "He truly got every bit out of his talent and was respected nationally for how tough and smart he played. Aurelien does a great job of conveying that toughness and intelligent tennis to our players, he is tremendously well liked and respected by the teams. He was that guy on the team who did everything right, the kind of guy you really appreciate as a coach.
"I believe the Aure is emerging as one of the top young coaches in the country. He has all the qualities it takes to be a great coach - strong character, leadership and work ethic. He's very good on the court and great mind for the game. He is not afraid to tackle the tough parts of this job like the relentless dog fight of modern recruiting, gameplans and scouting, travel and helping run the big events we put on here. He is extremely loyal to the Islanders and cares deeply about the players . I consider Aure a great asset for our program. He is an elite Associate Head Coach for both men's and women's teams, and has been a huge factor in our team's success."
He assists Coach Moore in all aspects of the program; from recruiting, planning, setup and running practice, team travel, itineraries, fundraising and running the numerous tournaments held at the Thomas J. Henry Tennis Center.
Tave has joined Islanders' legends, who developed into high lineup players such as Dmitry Novikov, James Langford and Matt Westmoreland.
"What impresses me the most about Aurelien is he developed from a No. 4 to a No. 1 player in just a year," Moore added. "To improve that quickly requires tremendous discipline, commitment and work ethic. Those are great attributes that he can teach our young players."
"Aure has brought so much character, leadership and heart to our program for the past 13 years. He's truly a great coach, man and role model for these young, impressionable Islanders. He leads by example and walks the walk. He has been such a blessing to the Islanders since his arrival, and is so highly respected by the players and coaches. Aure is a truly special Islander and pillar of this program." - Coach Moore
Associate Head Coach, Aurelien Tave, entered his 12th season on the coaching staff in 2023.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Trainer ( SB )
Job Titles:
- Assistant
- Coach
- Title / Assistant Coach
The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi men's and women's tennis teams will now have the guidance from a previous champion out of the program, as they announced Avery Zavala as the new Assistant Coach in January 2025.
Since graduating, Zavala has been playing on the ATP professional tour where he saw success in several doubles tournaments.
Job Titles:
- Scholastic Coordinator ( SOC, Golf, SB )
Job Titles:
- Head Coach Cross Country / Track & Field
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate AD of Compliance and Student - Athlete Services / SWA
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Trainer ( VB, BVB )
Job Titles:
- Assistant Coach / Recruiting Coordinator
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- Assistant AD for Facilities and Operations
- Facilities and Operations
Job Titles:
- Coach
- Leader
- Director of Tennis
Coach Steve Moore has brought historic excellence to the Islanders including 16 NCAA Tournament appearances and 33 Southland titles. Moore is arguably the winningest coach in Southland Conference history, as his 16 NCAA Tournaments and 14 SLC Coach of the Year awards represent the most in the league for any coach and any sport. Moore was also named the 2013 ITA Texas Coach of the Year for NCAA D-I.
Moore brings a wealth of experience including coaching at three schools that reached the Top 25 nationally - Texas A&M, Texas Tech and SMU. Moore led two of those teams to top-10 national rankings. Moore has taken a total 22 teams to the NCAA Championships as a head coach or assistant.
In the 61-year history of the conference, Moore's 16 NCAA tournaments at the same school rank him first all-time in Southland Conference history for all coaches and all sports. He surpassed Lamar baseball coach Jim Gilligan (11) in 2021 after both the Islanders men's & women's tennis programs reached the NCAA Tournament.
The Islander men have won 22 Southland Conference titles, which represents the second-most in conference history among all sports. On four occasions, they have reached top-40 in the ITA National Rankings and earned a No. 3 seed at the NCAA Championships four times. Perhaps the greatest feat is their player development, having four Islanders reach the top-400 ATP including Peter Nagy who twice clinched the Davis Cup for his native country of Hungary.
Moore was selected to prominent national leadership positions as well, including a 4-year term on the 12-member NCAA National Tennis Committee, and as ITA Regional Chairman for Texas for NCAA D-I.
Coaching men's and women's tennis, Moore led both teams to the ITA national published rankings the same week. TAMUCC was one of only 34 universities in the nation with both teams ranked in the national poll, and the only with one head coach leading both programs.
The women have soared under Moore, going to the NCAA Championships in four straight years in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, and reached the top-75 national rankings in 2014 and 2016. They are the first women's tennis team in the history of the Southland Conference to ever make the NCAA Tournament four years in a row with a senior class that won six titles in four years. The 2017 women's team made it backto-back NCAA Tournament appearances and in 2018 the team won it's third straight Southland Conference title. A&M-Corpus Christi followed it up with another three-peat from 2021-23 before extending it to a four-peat after winning the title again in 2024.
Job Titles:
- Media Relations Assistant ( WBB, SOC, XC / TF, BSB )
Job Titles:
- Scholastic Coordinator ( MBB )
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- Associate AD for Business Operations
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- Head Women 's Soccer Coach
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- Head Strength Coach ( MBB, VB )
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- Associate AD for Student - Athlete Development
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- Faculty Athletic Representative
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- Head Team Physician - Sports Medicine
Job Titles:
- Team Physician - Sports Medicine
After leaving a historical mark on the Islanders Women's Tennis team as a student-athlete, Emma Aucagne joined the Islanders Tennis staff as a Graduate Assistant for the 2024-25 season.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Vice President / Deputy AD
- Compliance
Job Titles:
- Head Beach Volleyball Coach
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Sports Performance ( WBB, BVB, T / F )
Job Titles:
- Assistant Coach / Class of 2026 Recruiting Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Trainer ( SOC )
Job Titles:
- Associate AD for Marketing, Fan Engagement, and Creative Content
Job Titles:
- Director of Center for Athletic Academic Services ( VB, TEN )
Job Titles:
- Head Athletic Trainer ( M / W Tennis, Golf )
Job Titles:
- Head Men 's Basketball Coach
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Trainer ( XC / TF )
Job Titles:
- Assistant Sports Performance Coach ( BSB, SB, Throws )
Job Titles:
- Supervisor of Ticket Operations and Sales
Job Titles:
- Assistant Coach / Player Development
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant ( SOC, XC, Golf )
Job Titles:
- Development and Marketing
- Senior Associate AD for External Relations
Joining one of the winningest athletics programs in the history of the Southland Conference, Manuel Lopez-Videla was named an assistant coach with Islanders Tennis in Aug. 2023.
Lopez-Videla joined an Islanders Tennis program that has made 17 NCAA Tournament appearances, including six in the past four seasons.
In his first season assisting Islanders Tennis, Lopez-Videla became a part of history as he helped guide the women to their fourth straight NCAA Tournament in 2024. They became the first women's tennis team in the Southland Conference to win the SLC Tournament and advance to the NCAAs four years in a row from 2021-2024.
Lopez-Videla brought head coaching experience to The Island as he served as the Head Coach at Judson University in 2022-23. At the helm, he coached Judson to its first-ever win over an NCAA Division I opponent. He also served as Director of Junior Tennis at Palisades Tennis Academy in Los Angeles which produced numerous collegiate scholarship players.
Lopez-Videla was a former student-athlete at Judson after being a highly successful junior player as one of the top players in Bolivia.
"We were so blessed to have Coach Manuel join the Islanders tennis coaching staff and Islanders tennis family! Coach Manuel shares all the Islanders values in such a special way! He was truly a special fit for this team!"
He assists Coach Moore in all aspects of the program; from recruiting, planning, setup and running practice, team travel, itineraries, fundraising and running the numerous tournaments held at the Thomas J. Henry Tennis Center.
"Coach Manuel loves the players and pours his heart into helping them personally and on the tennis court! Manuel has rock solid character and is such a great mentor to these young Islanders! He is an elite coach on the court who's been a head coach in college and brings a stellar work ethic! Manuel has truly been a rock for the Islanders!" - Director of Tennis Steve Moore.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Coach Cross Country / Track & Field ( Jumps / Sprints )
Job Titles:
- Assistant AD for Ticket Sales, Service and Retention
Job Titles:
- Associate Head Coach
- Associate Head Coach - Men & Women 's Tennis
- Associate Head Coach - Tennis
- Associate Head Coach - Women 's Tennis
Bazhanova joined the Islanders in 2017-18 after spending the previous three seasons as the head coach at Northwestern State, overseeing one of the most successful programs in the Southland Conference.Since coming to the Island, Bazhanova has led the Islander women to four straight NCAA Tournaments (2021, 22, 23, 24), the first time in the 61-year history of the Southland Conference this has been done. Bazhanova has additionally been a part of 12 Southland Conference Championships between both teams including seven NCAA Tournaments.
For her work, Bazhanova was named an ITA D-I Finalist for Assistant Coach of the Year in Texas in 2024. She was also inducted into the Northwestern State Hall of Fame after leading the Demons to the NCAA Championships as the No. 1 player, assistant coach, and head coach.
In 2021, Bazhanova coached the Islanders to three championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances. The men completed a dominant season by winning both the SLC regular season and SLC Tournament titles, while the women swept through the SLC Tournament in a trio of 4-0 victories.
Bazhanova has been to the NCAA Championships as a head coach, assistant coach and player. She played and coached under Coach Patric DuBois, one of the winningest coaches in Southland Conference history.
A former player at Northwestern State, Bazhanova has been a part of five Southland titles for the Demons. During her playing days, Bazhanova played No. 1 singles and doubles for three-straight seasons at Northwestern State and led one of the best teams in Southland history climbing to No. 62 in the national rankings. Bazhanova also served as team captain for the Demons.
Job Titles:
- Scholastic Coordinator ( XC / TF, BSB )
Job Titles:
- Graduate Assistant Coach / Class of 2025 Recruiting Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Trainer ( BSB )
Job Titles:
- Assistant Coach / Pitching Coach
Job Titles:
- Associate AD for Major Gifts
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director Athletic Academic Services ( TEN, WBB )
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Trainer ( TEN )
- Assistant Athletic Trainer ( Tennis )
Sho Arai joined the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi athletic training staff in the fall of 2014, overseeing sports medicine needs for the cross country and track and field programs. In the fall of 2015 he moved over to work with the Islanders Tennis programs.
Arai came to the Island University after spending two years with Texas State University in San Marcos, where he earned his master's degree while also working with the baseball and track and field teams for the Bobcats. He worked with assessments, treatments and rehabilitation with those two programs while also serving as a preceptor for the athletic training students. He also taught athletic training courses at Texas State.
He also gained valuable experience in the summer of 2014 with the Global Basketball Summer League in Las Vegas. There, he served as the head athletic trainer for the professional level week-long event, making critical in-game decisions for elite basketball athletes.
Before returning to the United States in 2012, Arai worked in his home country of Japan as the assistant athletic trainer at Tokyo International University, working with the men's soccer program. There, he was responsible for the health and wellness of over 200 athletes.
He also gained experience in athletic training while completing his undergraduate education in upstate New York. He worked as an athletic training student at SUNY-Cortland, helping with the football, women's basketball, baseball and swimming and diving programs while completing his undergraduate degree at SUNY Cortland. He also worked in summer baseball with the Elmira Pioneers of the New York Collegiate Baseball League.
He is certified by the National Athletic Trainers' Association, Texas Athletic Training Board and is an approved CAATE Clinical Preceptor. Arai has also obtained further credentials by becoming a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, IASTM (Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization) techniques, and Corrective Exercise Specialist.
Arai is a native of Saitama, Japan. He resides in Corpus Christi with his wife, Jaycee.
Job Titles:
- Associate AD for Corporate Sales and Broadcasting
Job Titles:
- Coaches in the Nation Including Tim Cass at Texas a & M
Job Titles:
- Head Women 's Basketball Coach
Job Titles:
- Multimedia Production Specialist