USTA Florida is deeply saddened by the passing of the legendary tennis coach, Andy Brandi.
Andy Brandi, born in Puerto Rico in 1952, was a highly respected figure in the tennis world, known particularly for his coaching expertise. Andy was the head coach for the Women’s Tennis Team at the University of Florida from 1985-2001, where he led three teams to an NCAA Championship and 5 runner-up finishes. When he left UF, he finished with the highest winning percentage (.915) of any coach in NCAA tennis history. Andy still holds that record as of 2024.
In 2017, Andy alongside his son Chris were named co-head coaches for the Louisiana State University tennis team. Andy retired from LSU in 2022. Throughout his coaching career, Andy coached numerous top-ranked players including former USA Billie Jean King Cup Captain, Kathy Rinaldi, and Carling Bassett.
The University of Florida Women’s Tennis Team from 1996, with coach Andy Brandi, when they won the National Championship.
He also coached Love Serving Autism Founder, Lisa Pugliese-LaCroix, where she won a National Championship in 1996. “Andy always expected the best from us on the court at UF, a mentality with no exceptions. I will always hold great respect for this aspect of Andy,” she said. “He became a cheerleader for Love Serving Autism, encouraging me as the organization grew. I will miss his presence, his coaching excellence, and his friendship.”
When Andy wasn’t coaching, he loved to give back to the community and volunteered a lot with USTA Florida. From 2005 through 2014 he served on a handful of board and committees, including the Board of Directors in 2006 and 2007.
On February 8, 2024, Andy lost his battle with cancer and passed away at the age of 72. USTA Florida sends our condolences to his family and everyone who had the pleasure of learning from the legendary coach.
