St. John's University Athletics
Women's Tennis
Nelo Phiri
- Title:
- Assistant Women's Tennis Coach
- Email:
- nelo.phiri16@stjohns.edu
- Phone:
- 2026
Nelo Phiri begins her second season as a graduate assistant for the St. John's women's tennis team in 2017-18.
St. John’s women’s tennis Head Coach Lauren Leo announced the addition of Nelo Phiri to join her staff as a graduate assistant in the 2016-17 campaign.
“I’m thrilled to have Nelo join the St. John’s women’s tennis coaching staff,” said Leo. “She brings a wealth of knowledge about the game and I am sure that our student-athletes will benefit from it.”
Phiri spent her final two years of collegiate eligibility playing at the No. 1 singles and doubles positions for the Ragin’ Cajuns, where she won a combined 29 matches. Following her senior campaign in Spring 2015, Phiri graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sports management.
Prior to her tenure at UL-Lafayette, the Zambia, Africa, native enjoyed a plethora of success at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas. Phiri helped guide the Apache to two national team titles and a national doubles title. One of the top junior college players in the country at the time, Phiri earned a five-star recruiting rating and a national ranking of No. 34 by Tennisrecruitng.net.
Born in Zambia, Phiri began playing tennis at the age of four. She moved to Yonkers, N.Y., when she was just six years old to continue a path towards better opportunities in both education and tennis. Phiri cites her uncle and tennis coach, Kela Simunyola, and her mother, Kai Namunyola Phiri, as the two most influential people in her athletic career.
Phiri also showed an early display of talent for the game as she accomplished an International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior world ranking of 250 by the age of 16 and was ranked as high as 1088 by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).
“Tennis has allowed me to develop into a dedicated, enthusiastic and professional individual whose passion is to uplift and motivate others,” said Phiri. “I’m excited to bring these attributes to the St. John’s women’s tennis team, and to assist Coach Leo in accomplishing the goals of this program.”
St. John’s women’s tennis Head Coach Lauren Leo announced the addition of Nelo Phiri to join her staff as a graduate assistant in the 2016-17 campaign.
“I’m thrilled to have Nelo join the St. John’s women’s tennis coaching staff,” said Leo. “She brings a wealth of knowledge about the game and I am sure that our student-athletes will benefit from it.”
Phiri spent her final two years of collegiate eligibility playing at the No. 1 singles and doubles positions for the Ragin’ Cajuns, where she won a combined 29 matches. Following her senior campaign in Spring 2015, Phiri graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sports management.
Prior to her tenure at UL-Lafayette, the Zambia, Africa, native enjoyed a plethora of success at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas. Phiri helped guide the Apache to two national team titles and a national doubles title. One of the top junior college players in the country at the time, Phiri earned a five-star recruiting rating and a national ranking of No. 34 by Tennisrecruitng.net.
Born in Zambia, Phiri began playing tennis at the age of four. She moved to Yonkers, N.Y., when she was just six years old to continue a path towards better opportunities in both education and tennis. Phiri cites her uncle and tennis coach, Kela Simunyola, and her mother, Kai Namunyola Phiri, as the two most influential people in her athletic career.
Phiri also showed an early display of talent for the game as she accomplished an International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior world ranking of 250 by the age of 16 and was ranked as high as 1088 by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).
“Tennis has allowed me to develop into a dedicated, enthusiastic and professional individual whose passion is to uplift and motivate others,” said Phiri. “I’m excited to bring these attributes to the St. John’s women’s tennis team, and to assist Coach Leo in accomplishing the goals of this program.”
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