Ric Mortera is moving from Fresno State to Utah as the Utes' women's tennis coach, athletic director Mark Harlan announced Friday.
Mortera, 32, coached the Bulldogs for one year, after three successful seasons as Texas Tech's associate head coach. Before that, the former Oregon tennis player was an assistant at Purdue and Illinois.
He was hired to replace Mat Iandolo, who coached the Utes for 12 years and was dismissed in May after what Harlan labeled “a comprehensive review of the program.” Harlan credited deputy athletic director Kyle Brennan and associate AD Liz Prince for conducting the search that landed Mortera.
“I have strong belief in the platform that this athletic department, school and community can provide for student-athletes and I cannot wait to get on campus,” Mortera said in a Utah news release.
Harlan cited Mortera's “tremendous coaching experience in Power Five women's tennis” and a belief that he would “lead our program in an upward direction.”
Texas Tech posted a 73-17 record and made the NCAA Tournament in all three years that Mortera was on the staff. In his one year at Fresno State, the Bulldogs posted a 9-12 record – including a 4-3 win over BYU and a 4-1 loss to Utah.
Kurt Kragthorpe has worked continuously for daily newspapers in Utah since 1977. He moved to The Tribune in 1990 and had a nine-year stint as sports editor, in between writing assignments that have included six Olympic Games, as well as several Super Bowls and major golf tournaments. Kurt and his wife, Sandra, enjoy traveling nationally and interna