RALEIGH, N.C. — Meredith College has named Garcian D'Cruz—former Head Coach at Tusculum University—as the new Head Coach of the Avenging Angels tennis program. D'Cruz brings a diverse and accomplished coaching background, along with a strong commitment to both academic and athletic excellence.

At Tusculum, D'Cruz guided the program to a South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Tournament appearance, coached two players to All-Conference honors, and mentored 15 student-athletes who earned SAC All-Academic recognition.

Prior to Tusculum, D'Cruz worked at Elon University, where he was part of a successful run that saw the Phoenix finish as CAA Conference Tournament runner-up. While at Elon, six players earned All-Conference honors, and the program was recognized as an ITA All-Academic Team for the 2023–24 season.

In addition to his college coaching experience, D'Cruz also found success at the high school level, leading Lake Norman Charter to back-to-back SPAC Conference Championships in 2022 and 2023. Earlier in his career, he led Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy to a 2021 conference title and was named SPAC Conference Coach of the Year in both 2020 and 2021.

D'Cruz also brings extensive experience in tennis program management, having served in multiple leadership roles at premier athletic clubs. He has worked as Director of Athletics at Old North State Club, Director of Tennis at Prosperity Athletic Club, and Director of Tennis at Cleveland Country Club, where he oversaw player development and program operations.

"We are excited to welcome Garcian D'Cruz to Meredith College," said Director of Athletics Jackie Myers. "His proven success at multiple levels, paired with his commitment to student-athlete development, makes him a great fit for our tennis program. He brings energy, professionalism, and a clear vision for growth, and we're excited to see where he takes the team."

A native of North Carolina, D'Cruz earned his bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Elon University. He later completed his master's degree in Sport Management from Western Carolina University.

"I am excited and honored to be named the Head Tennis Coach at Meredith College, and I look forward to continuing the academic and athletic success of our student-athletes," said D'Cruz. "I'd like to thank Jackie Myers and Fiona Barkley for this opportunity, and I can't wait to get started."

We're proud to welcome Coach D'Cruz to the Avenging Angels family as we begin a bold new chapter for Meredith Tennis.