Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Women's Tennis

Biography The third head coach in program history, Chad Berryhill took over the reins of the Eagle program from long-time men’s and women’s coach Dave Paschal in January 2024.   In his first season with the Eagles, Berryhill helped the seven women on the roster to a number of program firsts in 2024. The Blue & Gold won an NCAA II era-best 17 matches and were ranked fifth in the nation, which is the highest ranking in program history. The Eagles notched eight wins against ranked opponents including the program’s first win against an NCAA II top-10 foe. After finishing in a program-best tie for third in the Sunshine State Conference race, the Eagles notched a win in the conference tournament for the first time. A little over a week after that win, the Eagles earned their first NCAA II national tournament berth and secured their first tournament win with a 4-0 defeat of Tampa before falling to Barry in the second round.   The 2024 campaign also yielded several first-time individual honors for Embry-Riddle. Laura Cuesta Bret was named the SSC Freshman of the Year and the ITA/NCAA II South Region Rookie of the Year, both program firsts. Cuesta Bret partnered with Itxaso Blanco for a No. 4 doubles ranking – the highest in the Eagles’ NCAA II era - and they became the first student-athletes to earn ITA All-America recognition. In addition, Jessica Christa Wira Hadipoernomo was selected as the winner of the ITA Arthur Ashe Award for Leadership and Sportsmanship. In his second season with Embry-Riddle, Berryhill led the Eagles to a 20-7 overall finish and 7-2 in SSC play, which earned the Blue & Gold a second place finish in the conference. Throughout the 2024-25 campaign, the Eagles recorded seven wins over ranked opponents, including a 4-3 defeat over No. 1 ranked Nova Southeastern (March 29, 2025). Two of Embry-Riddle's ranked wins came during the ITA National Indoors Championships, which resulted in a third place finish for the Blue & Gold. Berryhill's squad finished 10th in the final ITA National Rankings, with their highest rank during the 2024-25 campaign being third. The 2025 campaign also saw three Eagles receive individual honors with Laura Cuesta Bret partnering with Carla Cabero to qualify for the Second Team All-Conference in Doubles, Benedetta Sensi qualifying for the Second Team All-Conference in Singles, and Franzi Kremerskothen being named SSC Freshman of the Year. Berryhill came to Embry-Riddle from Saint Leo bringing with him a track record of success at various levels of college tennis. An eight-year head coach at Saint Leo, he led the men's team to six NCAA II national tournament appearances, and three ITA Indoor national championships, while the women made five trips to the NCAA II national tournament and two to the ITA Indoor championship. The men's team has claimed two Sunshine State Conference titles and in 2023, they won the ITA Indoor National Championship.   Berryhill's Saint Leo teams consistently featured in the national rankings with the men's team earning top-three rankings in six of the last seven seasons, and the women's team being ranked among the top five in each of the last five years.   A native of Lansing, Michigan, Berryhill has been coaching at the collegiate level since 2005 when he was named the head coach of the Hillsborough Community College women's tennis program. In five years at HCC, he led the Lady Hawks to a National Junior College Athletic Association national title in 2008, as well as three national runner-up finishes and a No. 1 national ranking in four of his five seasons. Berryhill departed HCC to become an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at UCF before returning to a head coaching role at his alma mater Ferris State in 2012. The Ferris State men's team reached the NCAA II final four in 2016 and won two conference regular season titles and a conference tournament title. In addition to the team accolades, Berryhill has coached 44 ITA All-Americans (20 singles and 24 doubles), 35 NJCAA All-Americans, nine conference players of the year, seven conference freshmen of the year, 81 all-conference selections and 23 ITA national award winners. Berryhill's student-athletes have also performed well in the classroom with 140 ITA Scholar-Athlete and 21 ITA All-Academic Team honors. Berryhill has also been recognized himself for his coaching accomplishments. A two-time USPTA Florida Division College Coach of the Year (2019, 2024), he has been honored as an ITA/NCAA II women’s regional coach of the year twice (2022, 2023) and the men’s regional coach of the year three times (2018, 2022, 2023). He won ITA/NCAA II Women's Tennis Coach of the Year honors in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, was the USPTA Steve Wilkinson College Coach of the Year in 2019, and the NJCAA National Coach of the Year in 2008. He was named the SSC Women's Tennis Coach of the Year in 2018 and the league's Men's Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2023 in addition to being a four-time Florida Community College Athletic Association Coach of the Year. His work in the tennis community extends outside of the college ranks as Berryhill has served as Co-Director of the Nike Tennis Camps at Rollins, a Staff Professional and Administrative Director at Tennissmith School in Tampa and Director of Tennis at the Tennis Academy at Harvard in Boston. Berryhill earned his undergraduate degree in professional tennis management from Ferris State and his Master of Science in physical education from the University of South Florida. He is USPTA Elite Professional and Wheelchair certified and has served on ITA awards and rankings committees. Coaching History Year Ovr. Pct. Conf. Pct. Postseason Career Totals 454-187 .708 20 seasons 2024 17-8 .680 6-3 .667 Sunshine State Conference Tournament, NCAA II South Region Tournament 2025 20-7 .741 7-2 .778 Sunshine State Conference Tournament, NCAA II South Region Tournament PERSONAL Hometown Lansing, Michigan Education B.S. in Professional Tennis Management (Ferris State); M.S. in Physical Education (South Florida) ACCOLADES 454 Career Wins 2 National Tournament Appearances MILESTONES WITH EMBRY-RIDDLE WOMEN'S TENNIS First Victory: vs. Florida National, 6-1 (Feb. 7, 2024) First vs. Conference Opponent: vs. Palm Beach Atlantic, 6-1 (Feb. 10, 2024) First Postseason Win: vs. #12 Tampa, 4-2 (April 26, 2024) First National Tournament Win: vs. #9 Tampa, 4-0 (May 10, 2024)  

Sabrina Ehrenfort graduated from the women’s tennis program after spending six years with the Eagles. Originally from Berlin, Germany, Ehrenfort came to Embry-Riddle in 2017-18 and immediately earned a spot in the starting lineup. In six seasons with the Eagles, she amassed a 69-29 singles record and a 48-46 ledger in doubles play.   Ehrenfort excelled in the classroom, completing her undergraduate degree in human factors psychology, as well as her master’s in human factors with a perfect 4.0 GPA. She was named to the Sunshine State Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll five times, was a five-time ITA Scholar-Athlete and a three-time recipient of the D2 ADA Academic Achievement award. In her final season, she earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors. She is currently pursuing her PhD is human factors and behavioral neurology. 

One of the most decorated student-athletes in Embry-Riddle men’s tennis history, Juan Ortiz Couder is back at his alma mater as a graduate assistant coach for the 2022-23 season.  Ortiz Couder closed out his storied career with the Eagles by leading the Blue and Gold to the quarterfinals of the 2022 NCAA II National Championship.  Throughout his storied career, Ortiz Couder epitomized the Eagles' Student-Person-Player mantra having excelled in the classroom and on the court, as well as giving back to the community. Additional years of competition gained due to COVID allowed the Madrid, Spain native to complete his undergraduate and master's degrees in Software Engineering and pursue a doctorate degree. After compiling a 3.78 GPA as an undergrad and a perfect 4.0 in the master's program, Ortiz Couder currently has a 4.0 in pursuit of his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.     Ortiz Couder was named to the Sunshine State Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll and ITA Scholar-Athlete rosters six times each, was a CoSIDA Academic All-America first team selection in 2022 and was named a CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree twice.. He was a two-time Eagles of Excellence scholarship recipient and was awarded the 2017-18 Steve & Vicky Ridder scholarship. He was also named ERAU's Undergraduate Student of the Year in Software Engineering in 2019 and was the program's Graduate Student of the Year in 2021.     Ortiz Couder finished the 2022 season ranked No. 5 nationally in singles play with a 21-5 ledger. In doubles, he was 19-9 overall and held the distinction of featuring in the national rankings twice with two different partners. He teamed up with Andres Donayre for a 10-3 ledger at the top doubles position and a No. 11 national ranking, while his partnership with Luke Paschal yielded a 6-3 record and a ranking of No. 38.  His on-the-court success yielded several awards for the Madrid, Spain native who was named the ITA Senior Player of the Year, the ITA South Region Player of the year, and the Sunshine State Conference Co-Athlete of the Year in 2022. Ortiz Couder was a three-time ITA All-American and a four-time selection to the All-SSC team.