HACKENSACK, N.J. – FDU Senior Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics Brad Hurlbut appointed Alex Cole as the next head coach of the Knights' men's and women's tennis programs on Friday morning.
 
Cole, the owner of three FDU degrees, was the first Knights' tennis player elected to the FDU Athletics Hall of Fame.
 
"We feel incredibly excited to bring someone in who is already so tied to story of our men's and women's tennis programs," said Hurlbut. "As a former player who embodies the core values of our athletic department, Alex understands the rich tradition of FDU. He is a proven winner and had a historic career donning the Burgundy and Blue. We are very much looking forward to this new era of Knights tennis."
 
FDU's newest head coach currently serves as the Director of Tennis/Owner of Little Heroes Tennis. Little Heroes Tennis, started by Cole in 2009, is an academy that specializes in teaching tennis to children of all ages and abilities. Many of Cole's students have gone on to play competitively at the high school and collegiate levels.
 
Cole also works with the USTA in multiple capacities. Since 2017, he has been a Lead Faculty Coach responsible for delivering curriculum and managing coaching of Early Development Camps for youth players in new Jersey.
 
In 2022, the USTA tabbed Cole to work on their Coaches Commission. This commission guides the development of junior tennis in the Eastern Section, selects players for various Team USA camps, and takes an active role in instructing at camps and competitions.
 
Cole came up through the Junior tennis ranks in the United Kingdom. His success led him to the United States and FDU for his collegiate career. As a Knight, Cole put together a 66-26 record at the No. 1 singles position. He captured the Flight A NEC Singles Championships in 1996 and 19997, the 1997 ECAC #1 Singles Championship, and ranked as high as 16^th in the region during his senior year. He also won multiple NEC Doubles Championships.
 
Cole, who never lost a home match, was a two-year team captain and won the FDU award for highest GPA among graduating student-athletes. He was elected to the FDU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009.
 
"It's a great feeling to be coming back to FDU to coach the tennis programs," said Cole. "My time playing for FDU was fantastic and to get the opportunity to help the current teams reach their goals and continue the tradition of tennis excellence at FDU is something that I don't take lightly. Thank you to Jen Quirk, Cathy Liggett, of course Brad Hurlbut for making me feel like I've really come home."
 
Cole completed his undergraduate in English Language and Literature in 1998. He went on to complete two master's degrees at FDU. One in English Language and Literature and a MBA in the International Business track.
 
Outside of tennis, Cole began his professional career at Bloomberg as a Manager and Equities Specialist. In 2020, Cole founded GoNoGo Charts, a financial technology firm that provides analytical insight to markets.
 
Cole hails from Swansea, Wales and currently resides with his wife and children in New Jersey.
 
ABOUT FDU ATHLETICS
 
FDU is home to 21 NCAA Division I teams. A member of the Northeast Conference, the Knights have had tremendous success in the classroom, in athletic competition as well as giving back to the Bergen County community. FDU became the first school in Northeast Conference (NEC) history to win championships in women's volleyball, women's soccer, and men's soccer in the same season (2022). In 2023, the Burgundy and Blue also became the first NEC school to win two games as a 16-seed in the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, including an upset over top-seeded Purdue. As a result of its incredible 2022-23 season, FDU placed 92nd in the Learfield Director's Cup, the first NEC program to finish in the Top 100. In 2024 Salif Mane captured the Triple jump title at the 2024 NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships, went on to win the gold medal at the Team USA Olympic Trials, and compete at the Paris Olympics. Since 2019, FDU has won 15 conference titles across men's soccer, men's tennis, men's basketball, women's basketball, women's indoor track & field, women's bowling, women's golf, and women's volleyball. Off the field, FDU student-athletes were recognized for their efforts in the community by winning the NEC Building Communities Award in both 2020 and 2024. In addition to recent championships, FDU holds five additional national championships, three in sport of women's fencing and two in women's bowling.