Tenured coach earns associate coaching rank

Winning four Big Ten titles in 12 years as an IU tennis coach would be a highlight to any head coach's resume. Add to it, a two-time conference coach of the year honos for both men and women's programs, in addition to decades of collegiate tennis experience, and you've got a resume fit to send off for any head tennis coaching position in the country.\nBut IU's newly named associate head coach, Ramiro Azcui, is proud to be just that -- and in doing so has been an integral part of continuing IU's lineage of successful squads.\nAzcui, working his 12th season on the Cream and Crimson courts is undoubtedly an irreplaceable part of the IU program -- a reason why head coach Lin Loring named Azcui as associate head coach instead of assistant coach. \nPlaying a fundamental role in the recruitment and development of new talent, Azcui is the bad cop to Loring's good cop in their quest for a national championship. \nSenior captain Linda Tran said the combination of coaches Loring and Azcui has brought her tennis game to new levels in her four years at IU, and the program certainly wouldn't be as strong without him.\n"Coach (Loring) and Ramiro work out so well because they compliment each other so well," Tran said. "Ramiro is more intense and coach is more laid back. He brings out the fight in us and gets us motivated."\nThe two combine to lead one of the most well-respected tennis programs in the country. Loring said the Hoosiers certainly wouldn't be the same squad without Ramiro.\n"We have a unique situation here, in that the turnover for assistant coaches is pretty high," Loring said. "Usually coaches will jump around every three or four years, but we've been lucky to have a great coach who also wants to stay with the program for a while."\nAzcui got his coaching start after working as an assistant at Baylor and Abilene Christian University, his alma mater before deciding in 1989 to take over at Northeast Missouri State as the head coach for both the men's and women's programs. \nA daunting task unthinkable by most coaches, in only three years Azcui led the men's team to a record of 30-24 while the women were 40-22 -- records earning him conference and national recognition. \nAfter winning consecutive awards for conference coach of the year, Azcui jumped to the Big Ten knowing he would not control a program of his own.\n"I have been picky about which programs I want to work with," Azcui said about his decision to coach at IU. "I haven't wanted to just pack up and go to just any program or use a program as a stepping stone. With my family, I wanted to go somewhere I knew I would be for a long time."\nAnd in looking for stability in a program continually among those nationally recognized, Azcui worked his way onto Loring's coaching staff in hopes to both learn about coaching and to compliment one of the NCAA's most successful collegiate coaches.\nPerforming tasks commonly assigned to assistant coaches, Azcui also is a visible influence in player development and the foremost face in recruiting efforts. In recognition of his contributions to the program, his formal title is associate head coach, and not assistant coach. \nAzcui said it is a sign of how important he is to the operation of IU's program.\n"(Loring) has always tried to help me out in any way he could, as far as feeling comfortable here and to stay here as long as I can. There aren't many 'associate head coaches' out there, and I take it as a compliment after all the years I have been here and as a reward to what I have added to the program," he said.\nSenior Karie Schlukebir said Azcui is one of the best recruiters she has seen, and is no doubt responsible for her choosing IU over other programs. \n"Everyone loves Ramiro," Schlukebir said. "Girls will come in even if they don't come to school here, and will always tell us how great he is. He is definitely a huge reason people are attracted to this program."\nSchlukebir's doubles partner, Tran, went on to add she would not be wearing Cream and Crimson if it were not for Azcui.\n"He's the main reason why I'm here," Tran said. "I had decided to turn down all Big Ten schools when I was being recruited. The only reason I took a trip here was because of Ramiro's calls, and i think that's true for a lot of our players. He's so close to a lot of us. I would have never considered coming to IU if it were not for him."\nAnd his work at IU has not gone unnoticed, as Azcui has been twice recognized as the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's Assistant Coach of the Year award, in 1997 and again in 1999.\n"I have enjoyed working with Coach Loring for many reasons, but mostly because I have learned so much from him," Azcui said. "It has made me a better coach, and I hope to stay here a long time"