University of South Carolina Aiken Athletics

5/15/2018

Steven Dahm enters his 18th season at the helm of the USC Aiken Tennis program.

His men’s teams have compiled a 200-157 record while the women’s teams have combined for a 195-176 ledger.

In 2018, the men's team reached No. 8 nationally and earned a berth in the NCAA Southeast Region behind a strong overall performance. Vicente Andrades earned all-league honors. The women's team registered an 11-10 record and was guided by all-conference performer Olivera Veskovac.

The men's squad garnered a berth in the NCAA Tournament in 2017 and had the PBC Freshman of the Year in Antonio Sabugueiro. Nadine Tusiama earned second-team all-conference honors on the women's side.

Both teams earned berths to the NCAA Tournament in 2016 and finished the season nationally ranked. The women's squad posted a 15-10 overall mark while the men's team went 12-10. Tusiama was named a first-team all-conference honoree, becoming the first student-athlete to pick up the honor in league history. Ettore Damiani and Julien Tan were both named to the PBC all-conference team. 

The Pacer men registered a 9-9 mark during the 2015 campaign and Damiani was named to the PBC all-conference team. The USC Aiken women’s squad battled injuries throughout the season but still managed a 9-12 record on the year with one of the youngest teams in the region.

The USC Aiken men's team garnered an 11-10 overall mark in 2014 and picked up a pair of wins in the conference en route to a No. 33 national ranking. The squad reeled off five straight wins during the middle of the season and not only earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament, but advanced to the second round. Alejandro Andino,  Damiani and Patrick Stiebinger earned all-conference honors while Stiebinger also picked up academic all-America honors.

The USC Aiken women's team notched a 13-10 overall record, including a 6-7 effort against conference competition during the 2014 season. The squad put together the most wins for the program since 2007 and had a four-match winning streak en route to earning a spot in the PBC Tournament. The team also finished ninth in the region. Nadine Tusiami earned all-conference honors while Franziska Regel and Margot Simon tallied all-academic team accolades.

The Pacer men completed the 2013 season 11-9 with a 4-6 record in Peach Belt Conference play. The men competed in the NCAA Regional Tournament, falling to nationally eighth-ranked Columbus State in the regional.

The Pacer women’s tennis team finished 2013 at 10-12, going 5-8 against Peach Belt opposition. Shauna Williams was named PBC Player of the Week on Feb. 19. The Pacers were ranked as high as 44^th nationally.

Dahm has led both teams to national rankings and to the NCAA Tournament.

In the final ITA NCAA Division II men’s tennis rankings of 2009, USC Aiken’s men’s tennis team concluded the 2009 season ranked a program-best fifth.

USC Aiken, who received a bye into the semifinal round of the Savannah regional of the NCAA Division II Men’s Tennis Tournament, defeated No. 18 Francis Marion to advance to the regional final against No. 1 Armstrong Atlantic.

The Pirates were able to claim the regional title, but the Pacers still concluded the year 19-5 overall. AASU went on to win its second straight national crown a couple weeks later. The Pacers as a team won 13 of their final 15 matches in 2009.

Three USC Aiken men’s tennis players were chosen to the 2009 NCAA Division II Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Men’s All-America team at the conclusion of the 2009 spring campaign.

Bruno Seves was tabbed to the team as a singles player, while Dagoberto Darezzo and Edward Horne were selected to the team as a doubles tandem. Seves had become the program’s first ever All-America selection one year earlier in 2008.

In 2010, USC Aiken once again had two players chosen to the ITA All-America team as Gregory Andrade and Juan Xavier Ponce were named All-Americans by virtue of ending the year ranked ninth nationally.

A native of Kenmore, N.Y., Dahm came to USC Aiken from Division I Furman University where he served as the assistant men’s coach for two seasons.

Dahm has a strong foundation of coaching experience. He has spent time at the Van der Meer Tennis Center, the University of Rochester and the Country Club of Buffalo, where he was the head tennis professional for five summers.

In collegiate play, Dahm was the number one singles and doubles player at the University of Buffalo. He was selected to the Mid-American All-Conference team as well as the First-Team All-Star squad. While attending UB, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology.