University of New Haven Women's Tennis

Chris Raffone, a longtime tennis professional and college player in Connecticut, was named Head Women's Tennis Coach at the University of New Haven in August of 2023. Raffone posted a 28-6 overall record in his first two seasons with the Chargers, including a 19-1 conference record. He helped his team climb to the top of the Division II East Regional rankings, sit as high as 13th in the country at the Division II level, win the ITA East Regionals in singles and doubles in 2024-25, and capture the conference tournament for the first time in program history. Those accomplishments led to Raffone earning 2024-25 Conference Coach of the Year honors. After playing for Central Connecticut State University, he served as a Blue Devils assistant coach for one season. Raffone then became an assistant coach at Quinnipiac University for three seasons before being named the head coach for boy's tennis at Amity High School in nearby Woodbridge, Conn., in March of 2007. Raffone built the Spartans into a perennial power while winning the Class LL State Championship in 2015. Amity was a two-time state runner-up that advanced to the quarterfinals or beyond in all but two seasons with Raffone at the helm of his 18-year run in high school tennis.  The Amity coach posted a 265-55 overall record and was a four-time conference Coach of the Year (2007, 2011, 2015, 2019) and a two-time Connecticut High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year selection by the New Haven Register.  In addition to his responsibilities at Amity, Raffone has also served as the Director of Tennis and co-Owner of the Oak Lane Tennis Club and the Director of Tennis and Head Tennis Professional at Woodbridge Club. Additionally, he is the co-owner of Adinolfi and Raffone Court Resurfacing, a tennis court resurfacing company he helped found in April 2017.

In Cabezas Marti's time with working with Coach Raffone at New Haven, the duo has seen the program has compile a 28-6 record, including a 19-1 conference record, seen itself climb all the way to the top spot in the Division II East Regional rankings, been ranked as high as 13th in the country at the Division II level, won ITA East Regionals in Singles and Doubles in 2024-25, and won the conference tournament for the first time in program history.   Raffone and Cabezas Marti also took home 2024-25 Coaching Staff of the Year honors.