Pete Yellico

Pete Yelico is the Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach at University of Redlands. Yellico knows what it means to lead a team and to be a very successful collegiate tennis coach.

During his five-year stint as the Head Men's Tennis Coach at Pacific, Yellico compiled an impressive 95-41 overall record and a 63-12 mark in Northwest Conference (NWC) action. He guided the program to its highest national ranking this past year by finishing 17th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division III National Polls. In addition, Yellico coached three players into the national rankings, defeated Whitman College (WA) for the first time in 36 years, and was named the 2021 NWC Coach of the Year. During his head-coaching tenure, fourteen student-athletes earned All-NWC honors and 34 became All-NWC Scholar-Athletes, while his teams collected ITA All-Academic honors every year and gained 30 ITA Scholar-Athletes. Finally, his most recent recruiting class was ranked 24th by TennisRecruiting.net.

Beyond Pacific, Yellico volunteered as a Coach-Tutor with Portland Tennis & Education, an organization that serves more than 60 at-risk children from severely under-resourced families. He also facilitated the grant writing necessary to be awarded the United States Tennis Association's (USTA) Collegiate Court Technology Grant of $10,000 for the Holce Tennis Facility at Pacific. Through this grant, Yellico oversaw the installation of PlaySight technology, which allows family, alumni, and supporters of the men's and women's tennis programs to enjoy live streaming of matches.

Before becoming the head coach at Pacific, Yellico gained experience as an assistant coach for the Boxers, helping them to three second-place finishes in the NWC Tournament. In 2016, Pacific men's tennis won a school-record 16 dual matches en route to an overall record of 18-4 and an 11-1 mark in the NWC, which led to Yellico being named ITA NCAA Division III West Region Assistant Coach of the Year.

In 2012, Yellico was recruited by 1993 French Open doubles champion Murphy Jensen to work as an elite tennis professional at the Sea Island Resort in Sea Island, Georgia. In that role, Yellico taught juniors and adults with a wide variety of playing experiences and skill levels while coordinating and competing in exhibition matches with Murphy and his doubles partner Luke Jensen. Yellico also worked as the professional hitting partner for WTA player Emily Harman.

From 2009 to 2012, Yellico grew as a tennis professional at the Bremerton (WA) Tennis & Athletic Club. During his tenure, he coached junior teams that reached USTA national competitions and coached five, nationally ranked, junior players.

Prior to his career as a tennis professional, Yellico served five years in the United States Navy as an Aviation Ordnanceman Second Class on the U.S.S. John C. Stennis, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. He was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal while serving in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, before being honorably discharged in 2009.

Yellico played one season of collegiate tennis at the Savannah College of Art & Design. He graduated from Pacific University with his bachelor's degree in business administration with a minor in finance.

"I am excited to welcome Peter to our university community and his new role in Bulldog Athletics," commented University of Redlands Director of Athletics Jeff Martinez. "We are really fortunate to have an individual with his portfolio of experience in coaching, fundraising, and recruiting, especially at the Division III level, directing our tennis programs. I have no doubt his leadership skills and passion for coaching will continue the rich history and tradition of our Bulldog tennis programs."

Yellico added, "The tennis program at the University of Redlands has an extremely rich history and I am incredibly grateful to lead the next chapter. I certainly have big shoes to fill, knowing the coaches who have come before me, but I am eager to get to work and lead both the men's and women's tennis programs back into the national title conversation. I am also excited to get to know all of the alumni, while at the same time, continuing to honor Coach Jim Verdieck, as well as all the past coaches. Redlands is a premier university, and I am ecstatic to be part of the Bulldog family! Go Bulldogs!"