TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama women’s tennis head coach Jonatan Berhane has named Women’s Tennis Association professional (WTA), Cristina Sanchez-Quintanar, as an assistant coach, the program announced Wednesday.

Sanchez-Quintanar most recently coached two seasons at Texas (2023-25) after a spending couple of years at the helm of the Arkansas women’s tennis team (2021-23). While at Arkansas, she led the Razorbacks to the program’s best conference performance since 2009 with eight wins. Prior to her head coaching stint, Sanchez-Quintanar served as assistant coach at the University of Central Florida for five seasons (2016-21) following her professional career.

“We are very excited to welcome Cristina to our team. Cristina was a top collegiate player and has a very successful coaching career at UCF, Arkansas and Texas. She is eager to work with the team and help us keep improving as a program. Roll Tide!”

Cristina Sanchez-Quintanar Bio

• Spent two seasons as the head coach at Arkansas (2021-23)
• Led the Razorbacks to a fifth-place finish in the Southeastern Conference (2022) – the highest finish since 2009 – and to the NCAA Tournament
• Served as an assistant coach at both Texas (2023-25) and UCF (2016-21)
• Aided in accumulating an overall 41-17 record at Texas, which included advancing to the NCAA Tournament Super Regionals during her two seasons
• Helped guide Central Florida to a 20-5 record in 2021, leading the program to its second-consecutive American Athletic Conference title and the team’s first-ever national seed in the NCAA Tournament
• Assisted in the elevation of UCF’s program as the team became a top-10 squad after being unranked prior to her tenure
• Coached the Knights to their first-ever top five win which propelled the team to a program-high No. 8 ranking in the ITA
• Named 2019 ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year while at UCF
• Played professionally on the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Tour (2014-16), becoming a doubles champion in five Future Tournaments and a singles champion, winning in her home country of Spain
• Competed as a the only three-sport athlete (tennis, basketball and soccer) in the NCAA at Texas A&M University (2011-14)
• Named a two-time All-American, which set a school record
• Qualified for the NCAA Singles Championships three times, with her top finish coming in 2012 when she reached the quarterfinals   
• Earned the program’s highest individual ITA rankings after being ranked No. 3 in singles and No. 18 in doubles
• Won the SEC singles and doubles championships (2013)
• Led the Aggies to a runner-up finish in the NCAA Tournament (2013)
• Claimed a SEC Championship title in both women’s tennis and soccer (2013)
• Participated in both the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament Elite Eight and in the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament Sweet 16