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MENS TENNIS ADDS MIKE PALACIO TO COACHING STAFF

Head Coach Kutrovsky makes first hire

Richmond, Va. Mike Palacio has been named assistant tennis coach, Head Coach Dimi Kutrovsky announced.

"Excited to have Mike join the team. He has great experience in college tennis and showed the desire and passion that is necessary to be a good coach," said Kutrovsky. "We share a lot of views on what is needed on and off the court to provide a great experience for our student-athletes, but he also comes from a different background that will add diversity and strengthen the team with his own points of view. I am looking forward to continuing the process with him on board."  

Palacio joins the Rams after five years at Pacific, where he spent the first two years on the men's tennis staff, and three years as an assistant on the women's tennis staff. In 2024, he helped lead the Tigers to their first West Coast Conference Tournament appearance where they reached the second round and an invite to the UTR National Invitational Tennis Tournament. 

"I'd like to thank Dimi, Keith, and Ed for giving me the opportunity to join the men's tennis staff. I look forward to continuing to build upon VCU's history of success and am excited to get started," Palacio said.

Before his tenure at Pacific, Palacio spent the 2018-19 season at Elon, which saw the Phoenix go 21-5 and capture their first Colonial Athletic Conference title, along with their second NCAA tournament appearance.

Prior to Elon, Palacio spent one year at Division III Washington and Lee where he helped coach the men's team to a 37th Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship.

Palacio also spent five and a half years as the women's head coach at his alma matter, Imperial Valley College. During his time at IVC, he was named the 2014 Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Women's Coach of the Year. 

During his playing career, Palacio spent two years at IVC where he earned his associate's degree in Social Science in 2006. He then went on the play two seasons at Division II Cal Poly Pomona and graduated with his bachelor's degree in 2008. Palacio would get his master's degree in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University Irvine in 2016.