July 22 - (PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - Carnegie Mellon University announced the hiring of Mike Belmonte as the full-time assistant men’s and women’s tennis coach and assistant intramurals director.  For the past two seasons Belmonte has served as a part-time assistant tennis coach.

“To be given this opportunity to work at Carnegie Mellon is very exciting,” Belmonte commented.  “I hope to contribute to the growing success of our athletes, and in time, discover what it means to represent a world-class institution.”

In his first year with the Tartans, Belmonte received the highest honor an assistant coach on the collegiate level can receive when he was named the 2009 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Assistant Coach of the Year.  It was the first time in  program history that an assistant coach received the honor.  Belmonte helped guide the men's program to a national ranking of #13 that year as the Tartans earned their second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament.  In his two seasons on staff, both the men’s and women’s teams advanced to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Championship, the women won the inaugural ITA National Division III Team Indoor Championship and the men set a school record in back-to-back years for dual match wins with 20 and 21, respectively.  The women’s team also set a record for wins with 21 during his first season.

“Mike has done an outstanding job with our teams over the last two years in a part-time role.  As a full-time assistant he is going to be able to significantly increase his involvement in all aspects of the tennis program,” said head men’s and women’s tennis coach Andy Girard.  “He knows our teams and our system well and will be able to hit the ground running."

Besides his tennis duties, Belmonte will assist with intramurals as well as teach physical education classes.  He will be responsible for assisting the director of intramurals in daily operations of intramural events including direction, organization and supervision of activities. 

“I am extremely excited to have Mike join our staff as a leader for the Intramural Sports Program,” said Todd Jackson, Assistant Director of Athletics for Intramurals and Club Sports. “His education and experience will certainly help us continue to improve the experience of our participants, the development of our student employees and the overall success of the program.”

Belmonte received his bachelor’s degree from Duquesne University in history/political science in 2006 where he was part of the Dukes tennis team.  Belmonte will begin his full-time position August 15, 2010.