Women's Tennis
Brito, Maru
Maru Brito
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- mbritopena@tulane.edu
- Hometown:
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Alma Mater:
- Clemson
Maria “Maru” Brito was hired as the new leader of Tulane women’s tennis on June 27, 2017 and enters her eighth season as the program’s head coach in 2024-25.
AT TULANE
The Green Wave saw continued success under Brito during the 2021-22 campaign finishing with a 12-9 overall record and as No. 7 in the ITA Team Regional Rankings. Brito also helped guide the first Tulane doubles team, Charlotte Russell and Lahari Yelamanchili, to be an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tournament since 2005. The pairing of Russell and Yelamanchili climbed as high as No. 29 in the ITA national doubles rankings and No. 2 in the regional doubles rankings. Under Brito, the duo also reached the 2022 NCAA Doubles Round of 16, becoming the first Tulane pair to advance to the round of 16 since 2003. Russell and Yelamanchili both added All-Louisiana first team honors from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association while Yelamanchili became the third All-AAC selection under Brito. Tulane had success on the singles courts as well with two players ranking in the top 20 of the ITA regional singles rankings - Mackenzie Clark No. 9 and Yelamanchili No. 19. The Green Wave continued to achieve in the classroom as well in Brito's fifth year at the helm being named an ITA All-Academic Team for the third time and boasting five ITA Scholar Athletes.
In 2020-21, Brito guided the Green Wave to a 13-9 overall record and as a high as No. 6 in the ITA Team Regional Rankings. Sophomore Mackenzie Clark continued to excel on the court under Brito's coaching as she reached No. 108 in the ITA national singles rankings, No. 12 in the regional singles rankings and earned 2021 All-AAC honors. The duo of Clark and Mary Caroline Meredith climbed as high as No. 58 in the ITA doubles rankings while the team of Clark and Adelaide Lavery was named All-Louisiana first team by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. In the classroom, the Tulane was named an ITA All-Academic Team and boasted four ITA Scholar Athletes. Brito stayed hot in recruiting in 2020 pulling in the No. 14 ranked mid-major class to Uptown.
Despite the shortened 2019-20 season, Brito had the Green Wave back on the rise as freshman Mackenzie Clark reached as high as No. 101 in the ITA national singles rankings – the highest mark for a Tulane women’s player in six seasons. Off the court, Tulane was the lone honorable mention for the 2020 ITA Community Service Award. In the classroom, the team posted its highest recorded GPA in program history with a 3.74 during the spring semester and received the ITA Team Academic Award for the third straight season. On the recruiting trail, Brito began making an impact for the Green Wave bringing the No. 11 ranked mid-major recruiting class in 2019.
In 2018-19, Tulane made positive strides as Ivone Alvaro earned All-American Athletic Conference Team honors. Alvaro and Elena Muller were dominant in doubles, achieving a No. 25 ITA national ranking late in the spring marking the highest listing by a Green Wave tandem in the post-Katrina era.
In Brito’s first season at the helm in 2017-18, the Green Wave posted a 13-11 overall record and reached the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference Championships. In the classroom, three student-athletes earned ITA Scholar-Athlete recognition.
Beyond her coaching duties at Tulane, Brito has served on the ITA Division I Operating Committee since 2020. She was also a 2.0 Graduate from the 2019 NCAA Women's Coach Academy.
AS AN ASSISTANT
Brito arrived in New Orleans after spending four years as an assistant coach for the women’s tennis team at Clemson from 2013-17. During her tenure, Brito helped lead the Tigers to 64 wins, including a 22-7 campaign in her first year in 2014 which consummated with a regular season ACC Championship.
Brito’s tenure also witnessed four straight trips to the NCAA Championship, which included a pair of NCAA Round of 16 appearances and qualification in consecutive ITA National Team Indoor Championships in 2014 and 2015.
Brito coached three ITA All-Americans in 2015, including the doubles pair of Beatrice Gumulya and Jessy Rompies who not only won the ITA All-American Doubles Championship, but also reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Doubles Championships. Furthermore, 11 All-ACC honors were claimed under Brito’s watch, in addition to her help reeling in the nation’s No. 9 ranked recruiting class in 2016.
Clemson also found a wealth of success in the classroom during Brito’s tenure with Tiger student-athletes combining for 11 ITA Scholar-Athlete honors. The 2015 squad posted the highest GPA (3.58) in the previous 20 years of the program.
AS A PLAYER
Brito lettered for Clemson’s women’s tennis program from 2004-07, as the Tigers reached the NCAA Tournament all four seasons. The team reached the Sweet Sixteen three times, including two Final Fours, while capturing a pair of ACC Championships in 2004 and 2007 (regular season). A two-time All-ACC selection in 2004 and 2005, Brito earned her bachelor’s degree in sport management in 2007.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
From 2010-13, Brito spent three years teaching at Franco’s Athletic Club in Mandeville, Louisiana, working with some of the top instructors in the nation as the tennis academy’s marketing and promotions director, before making her return to Clemson.
Following graduation from Clemson, Brito went on to serve as a men's and women's tennis graduate assistant at Auburn University-Montgomery from 2008-10 working with one of the top NAIA tennis programs in the country. In fact, the Warhawks' women's team went on to win the national championship in 2009, while the men's team won the national title in 2010.
BRITO BY THE NUMBERS
AT TULANE
AT TULANE
The Green Wave saw continued success under Brito during the 2021-22 campaign finishing with a 12-9 overall record and as No. 7 in the ITA Team Regional Rankings. Brito also helped guide the first Tulane doubles team, Charlotte Russell and Lahari Yelamanchili, to be an automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tournament since 2005. The pairing of Russell and Yelamanchili climbed as high as No. 29 in the ITA national doubles rankings and No. 2 in the regional doubles rankings. Under Brito, the duo also reached the 2022 NCAA Doubles Round of 16, becoming the first Tulane pair to advance to the round of 16 since 2003. Russell and Yelamanchili both added All-Louisiana first team honors from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association while Yelamanchili became the third All-AAC selection under Brito. Tulane had success on the singles courts as well with two players ranking in the top 20 of the ITA regional singles rankings - Mackenzie Clark No. 9 and Yelamanchili No. 19. The Green Wave continued to achieve in the classroom as well in Brito's fifth year at the helm being named an ITA All-Academic Team for the third time and boasting five ITA Scholar Athletes.
In 2020-21, Brito guided the Green Wave to a 13-9 overall record and as a high as No. 6 in the ITA Team Regional Rankings. Sophomore Mackenzie Clark continued to excel on the court under Brito's coaching as she reached No. 108 in the ITA national singles rankings, No. 12 in the regional singles rankings and earned 2021 All-AAC honors. The duo of Clark and Mary Caroline Meredith climbed as high as No. 58 in the ITA doubles rankings while the team of Clark and Adelaide Lavery was named All-Louisiana first team by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. In the classroom, the Tulane was named an ITA All-Academic Team and boasted four ITA Scholar Athletes. Brito stayed hot in recruiting in 2020 pulling in the No. 14 ranked mid-major class to Uptown.
Despite the shortened 2019-20 season, Brito had the Green Wave back on the rise as freshman Mackenzie Clark reached as high as No. 101 in the ITA national singles rankings – the highest mark for a Tulane women’s player in six seasons. Off the court, Tulane was the lone honorable mention for the 2020 ITA Community Service Award. In the classroom, the team posted its highest recorded GPA in program history with a 3.74 during the spring semester and received the ITA Team Academic Award for the third straight season. On the recruiting trail, Brito began making an impact for the Green Wave bringing the No. 11 ranked mid-major recruiting class in 2019.
In 2018-19, Tulane made positive strides as Ivone Alvaro earned All-American Athletic Conference Team honors. Alvaro and Elena Muller were dominant in doubles, achieving a No. 25 ITA national ranking late in the spring marking the highest listing by a Green Wave tandem in the post-Katrina era.
In Brito’s first season at the helm in 2017-18, the Green Wave posted a 13-11 overall record and reached the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference Championships. In the classroom, three student-athletes earned ITA Scholar-Athlete recognition.
Beyond her coaching duties at Tulane, Brito has served on the ITA Division I Operating Committee since 2020. She was also a 2.0 Graduate from the 2019 NCAA Women's Coach Academy.
AS AN ASSISTANT
Brito arrived in New Orleans after spending four years as an assistant coach for the women’s tennis team at Clemson from 2013-17. During her tenure, Brito helped lead the Tigers to 64 wins, including a 22-7 campaign in her first year in 2014 which consummated with a regular season ACC Championship.
Brito’s tenure also witnessed four straight trips to the NCAA Championship, which included a pair of NCAA Round of 16 appearances and qualification in consecutive ITA National Team Indoor Championships in 2014 and 2015.
Brito coached three ITA All-Americans in 2015, including the doubles pair of Beatrice Gumulya and Jessy Rompies who not only won the ITA All-American Doubles Championship, but also reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Doubles Championships. Furthermore, 11 All-ACC honors were claimed under Brito’s watch, in addition to her help reeling in the nation’s No. 9 ranked recruiting class in 2016.
Clemson also found a wealth of success in the classroom during Brito’s tenure with Tiger student-athletes combining for 11 ITA Scholar-Athlete honors. The 2015 squad posted the highest GPA (3.58) in the previous 20 years of the program.
AS A PLAYER
Brito lettered for Clemson’s women’s tennis program from 2004-07, as the Tigers reached the NCAA Tournament all four seasons. The team reached the Sweet Sixteen three times, including two Final Fours, while capturing a pair of ACC Championships in 2004 and 2007 (regular season). A two-time All-ACC selection in 2004 and 2005, Brito earned her bachelor’s degree in sport management in 2007.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
From 2010-13, Brito spent three years teaching at Franco’s Athletic Club in Mandeville, Louisiana, working with some of the top instructors in the nation as the tennis academy’s marketing and promotions director, before making her return to Clemson.
Following graduation from Clemson, Brito went on to serve as a men's and women's tennis graduate assistant at Auburn University-Montgomery from 2008-10 working with one of the top NAIA tennis programs in the country. In fact, the Warhawks' women's team went on to win the national championship in 2009, while the men's team won the national title in 2010.
BRITO BY THE NUMBERS
AT TULANE
- 2022 NCAA Automatic Qualifier (first time a team has qualified to NCAAs since 2005)
- 2022 NCAA Doubles Round of 16 (first time a team made round of 16 since 2003)
- 3 All-American Athletic Conference Team selection (Ivone Alvaro 2019, Mackenzie Clark 2021, Lahari Yelamanchili 2022)
- 2022 LSWA Women Player of the year (Lahari Yelamanchili)
- 3 All-Louisiana First Team selections (Charlotte Russell 2022, Lahari Yelamanchili 2022, & Mackenzie Clark 2021)
- 2 LSWA All-Louisiana Second Team (Adelaide Lavery 2021 & Ivone Alvaro 2019)
- 3 top 50 ranked ITA doubles teams (Elena Muller/Ivone Alvaro #25 on February 20th 2019; Lahari Yelamanchilli/Charlotte Russell #29 Final ranking, June 2022, Mary Caroline Meredith/Mackenzie Clark #54 on January 13th, 2021
- Mackenzie Clark as high as #101 ranked ITA national singles ranking 2020
- #7 team regional ranking 2022 & #6 team regional ranking 2021
- #2 doubles regional ranking 2022 (Charlotte Russell & Lahari Yelamanchili)
- #9 singles regional ranking 2022 (Mackenzie Clark)
- #19 singles regional ranking 2022 (Lahari Yelamanchili)
- #8 doubles regional ranking 2021 (Mackenzie Clark & Mary Caroline Meredith)
- #18 singles regional ranking 2021 (Mackenzie Clark)
- No. 11 ranked mid-major recruiting class in 2019
- No. 14 ranked mid-major recruiting class in 2020
- 2020-23 ITA Division I Operating Committee
- 2020 ITA Community Service Award Honorable Mention
- 2019 NCAA Women’s Coach Academy 2.0 Graduate
- 4 ITA All-Academic Team Awards
- 11 ITA Scholar-Athletes
- 4 NCAA Tournament appearances
- 3 NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances
- 2 ITA National Team Indoor Championship appearances
- 1 ACC Tournament Championship
- 1 ACC Regular Season Championship
- 1 NAIA Women’s National Championship
- 1 NAIA Men’s National Championship
- 1 NAIA Women’s National Championship finalist
- 1 NAIA ITA Women’s Region IV Assistant Coach of the Year
- 3 ITA All-Americans
- 1 ITA All-American Championships doubles champion
- 1 NCAA Doubles Championship quarterfinalist
- 1 ITA National Indoor Championship singles finalist
- 1 ITA National Indoor Championship doubles semifinalist
- 1 Oracle/ITA Masters singles finalist
- 1 ACC Freshman of the Year
- 1 No. 1 ranked ITA singles player
- 1 No. 1 ranked ITA doubles team
- No. 9 ranked recruiting class nationally by Tennisrecruiting.net (highest in Clemson history)
- 2016 NCAA Women’s Coach Academy Graduate
- 4 NCAA Tournament appearances
- 3 NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances
- 2 NCAA Final Four appearances
- 2 ACC Regular Season Championships
- 1 ACC Tournament Championship
- 2 All-ACC selections
- 2003 ITA Southeast Region Doubles Champion
- 99 career doubles wins
- 86 career singles wins
- NCAA Career Rankings: Team No. 3/ Singles No. 70/ Doubles No. 6
- 3 Clemson University Academic Honor Roll selections
- 2 Clemson Women's Tennis Most Improved Player of the Year Awards
- Three-year Team Captain
- Three-year SAAC Member
- WTA Career High Ranking Singles No. 516/ Doubles No. 448
- ITF Junior Career High Ranking Singles No. 48/ Doubles No. 11
South Alabama Postgame: HC Jon Sumrall, SPEAR Javion White, RB Zuberi Mobley
Sunday, September 07
Press Conference: Volleyball Postgame - 9/5/25
Saturday, September 06
Tulane Tuesday: BAN Harvey Dyson - 9/2/25
Wednesday, September 03
Tulane Tuesday: HC Jon Sumrall - 9/2/25
Tuesday, September 02
