Duke women’s tennis has a new face on the bench.
Jamie Ashworth announced Monday that Gabriel Cucalon has been hired as an assistant coach for the Blue Devils, bringing in a coach who spent the past several years working with both North Carolina Central’s men’s and women’s programs. Cucalon had been a graduate assistant at NCCU since August 2022.
Cucalon said the move is a major step for him and made clear how much it means to join Duke.
"I'm extremely grateful and excited to begin this new chapter with Duke women's tennis," said Cucalon. "The opportunity to join a program with such a strong tradition of excellence, both on and off the court, is truly an honor.
I'm excited to learn, contribute and work alongside an incredible coaching staff while helping our student-athletes reach their goals and continue building on the success of this program. I'm looking forward to giving everything I have to Duke and becoming part of the Blue Devil family."
Ashworth pointed to the energy Cucalon brings and said his presence should be felt quickly inside the program.
"We are extremely excited that Gabriel has decided to join our coaching staff here at Duke," said Ashworth. "He brings a tremendous amount of energy to the court and there is no doubt in my mind that the young women he will work with will benefit greatly from him. On and off the court, Gabriel will make an impact on what we do and will definitely help shape the future of Duke women's tennis."
Cucalon’s playing résumé at NCCU is a strong one. A four-year letterwinner with the men’s program, he piled up 58 wins and finished with the school record for dual match victories at 46. He also earned MEAC Player of the Year honors in 2018-19.
His championship background runs deep, too. Cucalon won the HBCU National Championship in 2015 in Singles Flight B, then added titles in 2016 and 2018 in Singles Flight A and in 2017 in Doubles Flight A. He served as team captain in 2018-19 and was co-captain in 2017-18.
There’s another milestone ahead: Cucalon will be inducted into the NCCU Athletic Hall of Fame in the fall of 2026.
Before moving into coaching, Cucalon built an international resume as a player. He represented Ecuador in more than 100 matches across South America and the United States, competed in the Junior Davis Cup and was selected as one of the country’s top three players. He was also the No. 1 junior player in Ecuador in both the U-16 and U-18 age groups.
Cucalon graduated from North Carolina Central in 2019 and later earned multiple graduate degrees there: a Master of Business Administration in 2021, a Master of Athletic Administration in 2024 and Master of Science and a Master of Science, Computer Information Sciences in 2026 from NCCU.
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