Cris Popa begins his third season as head women’s and men’s tennis coach at Nichols College in 2022-23.
The men’s tennis program captured their ninth Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) Championship in the last 10 seasons this past May with a 5-1 win over Roger Williams, then went on to defeat Manhattanville in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bison saw eight student-athletes received CCC All-Conference honors – including Rookie of the Year Adrian Toderascu and Scholar-Athlete of the Year Sam Kluger. Popa, meanwhile, was tabbed CCC Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career.
The 2021-22 women’s squad won 11 matches and advanced to the CCC Semifinals behind CCC Player and Rookie of the Year Antonia Carrero. A total of six student-athletes received all-conference honors and seven were named to the academic all-conference team.
In his first season ‘On the Hill,’ Popa guided the women’s tennis team to the CCC Championship match and a 6-2 mark. The men’s squad, meanwhile, went 8-3 and advanced to the CCC Pod Finals. A total of nine student-athletes – five women and four men – received CCC All-Conference honors while a total of eight student-athletes received CCC Academic All-Conference recognition.
Popa came to Nichols from nearby Eastern Nazarene College, where he was named CCC Men’s Tennis Coach of the Year on four occasions (2006, 2012, 2017-18) during 17 seasons at the helm of the men’s program. After guiding ENC to a back-to-back appearances in the CCC Championship match (2017-18), the Lions captured the 2019 Greater Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship in 2019. ENC went on to defeat Yeshiva 5-1 in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament.
Popa also guided the women’s tennis program for 13 seasons (2007-16; 2017-19). After advancing to the GNAC Semifinals in 2018 (13-5 record), the Lions captured the 2019 GNAC Championship with a 5-4 win over Johnson & Wales (RI).
Popa earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Eastern Nazarene College and had served as an employee of the college since 2001, most recently as Mailings and Materials Manager. Popa has been the Tennis Program Manager of the YMCA Tennis Program in Quincy, Mass. since 2014.
Career Record at Nichols
| Men's Tennis |
|
Women's Tennis |
|
| Year |
W |
L |
|
Year |
W |
L |
| 2020-21 |
6 |
2 |
|
2020-21 |
8 |
3 |
| 2021-22 |
17 |
6 |
|
2021-22 |
11 |
5 |
| Total |
23 |
8 |
|
Total |
19 |
8 |
Career Accomplishments
2006 Commonwealth Coast Conference Men's Tennis Coach of the Year
2012 Commonwealth Coast Conference Men's Tennis Coach of the Year
2017 Commonwealth Coast Conference Men's Tennis Coach of the Year
2018 Commonwealth Coast Conference Men's Tennis Coach of the Year
2022 Commonwealth Coast Conference Men's Tennis Coach of the Year
