Former Auburn assistant coach Valeriya Zeleva was named the 12th head coach in Houston tennis’ program history, UH athletics announced.
“We are thrilled to welcome Valeriya to Houston,” athletic director Eddie Nuñez said in a statement. “She is a proven winner that has coached world-class athletes to the highest level of collegiate tennis and helped her previous school to a Runner-Up finish at the NCAA Championships. She will help elevate our program to the next level.”
In her last season at Auburn, Zeleva, under head coach Jordan Szabo, played a pivotal role in the Tigers going 37-4, claiming both the SEC regular season and tournament Championships, while finishing as the NCAA national runner-up.
In 2025, Zeleva was named ITA Southern Region assistant coach of the year after helping the Tigers to a 25-7 record and an NCAA Super Regional appearance.
Before coaching at Auburn, Zeleva played at UCF, where she won AAC Conference player of the year twice, was a two-time participant in the NCAA Singles Championships, and competed in the NCAA Championships.
Zeleva replaces departing coach Katarina Adamovic, who is returning to her alma mater, Oklahoma State, and led the Cougars to a 17-6 record. Four players from the 2025-26 roster have eligibility for the upcoming season.
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