MAGNOLIA, Ark. – The Southern Arkansas University Athletic Department and Director of Athletics Steve Browning announced today the hiring of Abraham Lascari as the new Head Coach of Mulerider Men's and Women's Tennis.
"We are excited to welcome Coach Lascari and his family to Mulerider Country. Throughout the hiring process, we were impressed with his passion for tennis, his commitment to developing student-athletes, and the success he has had building a nationally competitive program," said Director of Athletics Steve Browning. "He is a relationship driven coach who understands the importance of building meaningful connections with his student-athletes, both on and off the court. We believe he brings the experience, energy, and leadership needed to advance our men's and women's tennis programs. We look forward to the future of Mulerider Tennis under his leadership."
Lascari comes to Magnolia by way of Lincoln Memorial University (Tennessee). In his two seasons at the helm of the Railsplitters, Lascari has led both the Men's and Women's programs to significant milestones.
"I want to thank Athletic Director Steve Browning for this incredible opportunity," exclaimed Coach Lascari. "I am honored and excited to step into the role of Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach at Southern Arkansas University. We are going to establish a culture where growth, discipline, and grit are non-negotiable every single day. I look forward to working with our student-athletes to maximize their potential on and off the court while building a bright, championship-caliber future for SAU Tennis."
During his time with the Railsplitters, the men's team made South Atlantic Conference (SAC) tournament appearances in both 2024 and 2025. During the 2025 season the men earned their highest ever national ranking at #18 and qualifying for the NCAA Division II National Championship for the first time since 2013. Most recently, Lascari had two players qualify for the ITA individual national tournament for the first time in program history.
The women's program also saw a lot of success under Lascari earning a SAC tournament appearance in 2025.
Lascari also spent time as the Union College head coach where he led the men's team to a conference runner-up in 2023 while also guiding the women's team to the best season in program history with a 16-2 overall record. The women's team went on to win the 2023 Conference Championship as well as qualify for the NAIA National Tournament.
His start in collegiate tennis came from Limestone University where he was an assistant coach from 2020-2022. Lascari has also been a tennis professional at Nike Tennis Camps as well as the Riverside Country Club.
He holds two masters degrees, a Master of Business Administration from Limestone University (2022) as well as a Master of Divinity from Bob Jones University (2019). He graduated from Limestone University in 2014 with his Bachelor of Science in athletic training.
Fluent in Spanish, English, and Portuguese, Lascari is an effective communicator with a diverse student-athlete population. He has also led international tennis tours in Mexico, demonstrating his leadership across cultures and age groups.
