BIRMINGHAM – UAB Director of Athletics Mark Ingram announced the hiring of Ezequiel Gils Monzon as the UAB head men’s tennis coach on Wednesday. Gils comes to UAB after spending the last three seasons at Alabama as a Volunteer Assistant Coach.
“We are very excited to welcome Coach Gils and his family to UAB.” Ingram said, “Ezequiel displayed a passion and commitment to building the UAB Tennis program throughout the process and we look forward to him continuing the team’s recent momentum in the American Athletic Conference.”
During his time at Alabama, Gils helped the Crimson Tide reach as high as No. 18 in the ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings during the 2020-21 season and to No. 45 during the 2022-23 season. He also helped individual players achieve high rankings, with two players achieving Top-40 rankings at No. 13 and No. 35, respectively. Additionally, Gils coached a doubles pairing to a No. 16 national ranking.
“I am very grateful to Mark Ingram, Matt Wildt, and everyone in administration who was a part of my interview process to become the UAB Head Men’s Tennis Coach.” Gils said, “From the very beginning, the opportunity to coach at UAB felt right for me and my family. I’m excited to continue the momentum built over the last couple seasons —through working hard and creating strong relationships with the team, administration, support staff, and Birmingham community. Together, we will take UAB to new heights. Go Blazers!”
Gils assisted the Crimson Tide’s recruiting efforts and helped Alabama recruit the No. 5 and No. 7 recruiting classes in the nation in consecutive seasons. He helped recruit and develop the 2022 ITA Rookie of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year while placing two on the SEC All-Freshman Team.
Prior to his time in Tuscaloosa, Gils spent the 2019-20 season as the volunteer assistant coach at Rice after four years at Cedar Bluff Racquet Club in Knoxville, Tennessee where he recruited and trained junior players.
Gils began his collegiate career at Tennessee Tech, where he was a part of a team that captured a 2012 OVC Regular Season title before transferring to Tennessee Wesleyan in 2014 where he was a back-to-back NAIA All-American while serving as the team captain for both seasons. He finished his senior season with a 17-0 singles record and 18-2 doubles record to earn Appalachian Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors. He also earned Academic All-American honors during his final collegiate season, while also recording the highest GPA in the Tennessee Wesleyan athletic department.
During his time in college, Gils coached at the Hugo Armando Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida where he worked with juniors and Division I players, including 2018 Australian Open junior champion Sebastian Korda who is currently ranked No. 31 in the ATP and has reached as high as No. 25.
“We are very excited to welcome Coach Gils and his family to UAB.” Ingram said, “Ezequiel displayed a passion and commitment to building the UAB Tennis program throughout the process and we look forward to him continuing the team’s recent momentum in the American Athletic Conference.”
During his time at Alabama, Gils helped the Crimson Tide reach as high as No. 18 in the ITA Collegiate Tennis Rankings during the 2020-21 season and to No. 45 during the 2022-23 season. He also helped individual players achieve high rankings, with two players achieving Top-40 rankings at No. 13 and No. 35, respectively. Additionally, Gils coached a doubles pairing to a No. 16 national ranking.
“I am very grateful to Mark Ingram, Matt Wildt, and everyone in administration who was a part of my interview process to become the UAB Head Men’s Tennis Coach.” Gils said, “From the very beginning, the opportunity to coach at UAB felt right for me and my family. I’m excited to continue the momentum built over the last couple seasons —through working hard and creating strong relationships with the team, administration, support staff, and Birmingham community. Together, we will take UAB to new heights. Go Blazers!”
Gils assisted the Crimson Tide’s recruiting efforts and helped Alabama recruit the No. 5 and No. 7 recruiting classes in the nation in consecutive seasons. He helped recruit and develop the 2022 ITA Rookie of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year while placing two on the SEC All-Freshman Team.
Prior to his time in Tuscaloosa, Gils spent the 2019-20 season as the volunteer assistant coach at Rice after four years at Cedar Bluff Racquet Club in Knoxville, Tennessee where he recruited and trained junior players.
Gils began his collegiate career at Tennessee Tech, where he was a part of a team that captured a 2012 OVC Regular Season title before transferring to Tennessee Wesleyan in 2014 where he was a back-to-back NAIA All-American while serving as the team captain for both seasons. He finished his senior season with a 17-0 singles record and 18-2 doubles record to earn Appalachian Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors. He also earned Academic All-American honors during his final collegiate season, while also recording the highest GPA in the Tennessee Wesleyan athletic department.
During his time in college, Gils coached at the Hugo Armando Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida where he worked with juniors and Division I players, including 2018 Australian Open junior champion Sebastian Korda who is currently ranked No. 31 in the ATP and has reached as high as No. 25.
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