Phil Palko helped lead both the Red Flash men's and women's tennis teams to their best seasons in years during the 2023-24 campaign.
The men's side went 12-8 overall and 5-1 in NEC play. Palko helped the team make the NEC Tournament final for the first time since 2017. Tyler Nguyen, Mathis Tremblay, Marc Fuste and Alan Gonzalez all earned All-Conference recognition under Hovan.
The women's team went 12-12 overall and 4-1 in the NEC in 2023-24. They made their first NEC semifinal since 2017 and saw Diana Zuba, Reagen Mangan and Sara Jankovic earn All-Conference honors. Palko played a part in Diana Zuba and Tyler Nguyen winning NEC Rookie of the Year on the women's and men's side respectively.
Hovan and assistant coach Phil Palko were named Coaching Staff of the Year at the Flash Awards.
Philip Palko joined head coach Eric Hovan's staff as the men's and women's tennis assistant coach in November 2021.
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Palko brought local experience to the Red Flash after spending 34 years as a coach for Indiana High School, where he is also a retired chemistry teacher. During his time at Indiana High School, he reached over 300 wins with the men's team and coached the team to a top-four finish in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) in 2019.
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He coached the USTA Junior Team Tennis to Regional Championships from 2014-2018 and was named USTA Allegheny Mountain High School Coach of the Year in 2016.
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Palko is a 1988 graduate of Saint Vincent College with a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry, where he played tennis all-four years.
