Eric Quade joined the UC Irvine men’s tennis program as a volunteer assistant in 2021-22.
Since his arrival, the Anteaters have won three Big West Championships and a co-regular season title. They have boasted a 65-28 record (19-5 Big West) during that stretch.
Last year, the second-seeded 'Eaters claimed their second-straight Big West Championship. They cruised to a 4-0 victory over UC Riverside in the opening round before upending No. 3 UC Davis in the semifinals and No. 1 UC Santa Barbara in the final by identical 4-3 scores. UCI went on to make its 13th NCAA Division I tournament appearance. UC Irvine closed the 2025 campaign with an 18-6 overall record and was 44th in the final ITA National Rankings. The Anteaters rose to as high as No. 36 during the season.
In 2024, the second-seeded 'Eaters defeated Cal Poly in the semifinals before taking down No. 1 seed and 45th-ranked UC Santa Barbara in the championship match to claim the program’s fifth Big West tournament title. UCI went 17-7 overall (5-1 Big West) and was 69th in the final ITA Rankings.
In 2023, UC Irvine claimed a share of its first Big West regular-season title since 2015. The Anteaters went 5-1 in conference to finish in a three-way tie for first with UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis. As the No. 2 seed at the Big West Championships, UCI defeated the third-seeded Aggies to advance to the title match for the second year in a row.
In Quade’s first year as a member of the coaching staff, the ‘Eaters put together one of their best seasons in recent history. They claimed the 2022 Big West Championship and made their first NCAA appearance in 11 years, while finishing the campaign ranked 67th in the nation. UC Irvine went 17-7 overall, marking the program’s most victories since 2015 and best win percentage since 1999.
Quade is a UC Irvine men’s tennis alum, playing for the Anteaters from 1981-83. He was a two-time Big West champion at No. 1 doubles and advanced to the 1983 NCAA Doubles Championships alongside Jim Snyder. Quade also claimed an individual conference title at No. 3 singles as a senior.
