North Carolina Central University Women's Tennis

Sofia Rachi Cucalon was promoted to head coach of the NCCU women's tennis program in the summer of 2023. She served as the NCCU interim women’s tennis head coach in 2022-23 and was an assistant coach for the Eagles for one season prior to that in 2021-22.  During the 2025-26 season, Rachi Cucalon coached the MEAC Women's Tennis Player of the Year, Alejandra Hidalgo Vega, the first Eagle to recieve that honor in the Division I era. Hidalgo Vega was also the only four-time MEAC First Team selection for NCCU. Sara Barbaric and Mariana Zottoli were also All-MEAC Second Team selections.  In her third season at the helm, Rachi Cucalon took her team to the MEAC Championship finals for the first time in the Division I era. The Eagles would finish as runners-up in 2024-25.  In her one season as interim head coach, Rachi led the Eagles to their most wins in a decade. The 11 victories more than doubles NCCU’s wins total from the prior year and provided NC Central with its first .500 or better overall record since 2012-13. Among this season's notable non-conference triumphs were Hampton, Eastern Kentucky, North Carolina A&T, Longwood, and the program's first win over UNC Greensboro.   Rachi coached the MEAC Women’s Tennis Rookie of the Year in Alejandra Hidalgo Vega and two All-MEAC honorees (Hidalgo Vega and Candice Bernier).   In MEAC play, Rachi guided the maroon and gray to a winning 4-2 league record and a 4-0 quarterfinals victory over Coppin State University in the 2023 MEAC Women’s Tennis Championship. Rachi was a four-year letter winner at fellow MEAC member Delaware State University from 2015-2019.  She served as a team captain for the Hornets and was an MEAC All-Academic Team performer.  The DSU graduate earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice with a minor in law studies and psychology. Rachi graduated cum laude.  Rachi, who is originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, was raised in Miami, Florida. She started playing tennis at age four and her parents own and operate a tennis academy in Doral, Florida, since she was nine years old. Rachi was in graduate school at NCCU during her first two seasons with the women’s tennis program. She earned a Master’s of Science degree in criminal justice in the spring of 2023.  

Rachelle Starreveld was announced as the graduate assistant coach for women’s tennis ahead of the 2024-25 season. Before landing at the Nest, Starreveld played for Valdosta State University (2020-23) and the University of Idaho (2023-24). While competing at Valdosta State she recorded a 12-9 singles record, going 10-2 in Big Sky Conference play. Starreveld’s doubles record was over .500 going 13-11, including a 9-3 record in conference. In her single season at Idaho, Starreveld went 3-3 in singles and 13-6 in doubles. Some of Starreveld’s accolades include making the 2023 Big Sky All-Academic Team, being named to the Gulf Coast Conference Academic Honor Roll three times and earning a national ranking of 34th (singles) and 36th (doubles) during her playing career. Starreveld hails from Rotterdam, Netherlands.