LAKELAND, Fla. - The Intercollegiate Tennis Association has announced the 2025 ITA Division II Women's National and Regional Awards, and Florida Southern College women's tennis was honored by naming assistant coach
Paul Walker '86 as the ITA Assistant Coach of the Year. The team also received the Community Service Award.
Walker was named the regional assistant coach of the year on Monday afternoon and later was named the 2025 National ITA Division II Women's Assistant Coach of the Year. Now in his tenth season with the team as an assistant, Walker has helped the Florida Southern team achieve great things over the 2024-25 college tennis season. Ranked No. 12 in the nation, the Mocs earned a third-place finish in the Sunshine State Conference, with the top two teams being the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked programs in the country. Finishing with a 17-6 season record, Florida Southern had numerous nationally ranked wins, including two wins over Top Ten-ranked programs. Walker continues to be a valuable asset for the Florida Southern team, where he not only shares his valuable knowledge of the game but also invests in the players and their success.
Every year, the ITA recognizes coaches and players for their excellence on the court and in their communities throughout the season.
Walker joined the women's tennis team during the 2015-16 season. A vital role in the Mocs' success over the years, the FSC graduate contributes to team initiatives both on and off the court. Along with 20-year head coach
Trish Riddell, the staff put all their efforts into helping their student-athletes achieve excellence in both the classroom and on the tennis court.
Along with his time spent with the FSC women's tennis team, Walker is a USTA National Coach, Wheelchair Tennis (2005-present), and has several tennis certifications, including being a PTR Professional, USPTA Elite Professional, and USTA High-Performance Certified.
"Paul is the soul of our program, coaching our players on and off the court," stated Riddell. "His energy, knowledge, and leadership are unmatched. We could not have had the year we did without him!"
The Moccasins finished in third place at the Sunshine State Conference tournament and owned a 17-6 record.
