Nazareth alum Paul Waida '89 is beginning his 22nd season coaching both the men's and women's tennis teams at Nazareth in 2025-26 after taking over in 2005 for Nazareth Sports Hall of Famer Annette Shapiro. Between the two programs, Waida has amassed over 300 wins.
Waida has had strong recent success for both programs. On the men's side, he has led the Golden Flyers to appearances in each of the last five Empire 8 Championship matches. In 2022, Nazareth earned its first every Empire 8 conference championships by defeating Houghton 5-3 (avenging a pair of regular-season losses).
The men were 12-8 overall in 2024-25, with a 7-1 mark in league play to earn the top seed in the West Division, eventually falling to Oswego in the title game. The 12 wins equaled the most under Waida for the men's program during his tenure. Griffin Bond and Max Funiciello were honored as the inaugural Empire 8 Doubles Team of the year. Two men earned College Sports Communicators All-Academic honors, while Griffin Bond was honored with the Empire 8 Torchbearer Award. The Empire 8 Torchbearer is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average (GPA) participating in the championship game for each E8 sport.
On the women's side, Nazareth has appeared in six of the last eight Empire 8 Championship contests, with their last title coming in 2021. Nazareth won back-to-back titles in *2020-21 and 2021 seasons, marking the fourth and fifth in program history. Waida was named conference Coach of the Year for the third time. He also guided the women's program to the 2017-18 Empire 8 Conference trophy, the first title since 2002. The squad went a perfect 11-0 in the fall season and 8-0 in the Empire 8 after a 5-4 triumph over Stevens to win the E8 title. Making their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, Nazareth fell to Rhode Island College in the first round and finished the season at 14-5 overall.
Waida guided the men’s team to an overall record of 8-6 and a third-place finish in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament in his first season in 2005. They followed that with back-to-back 9-6 finishes in 2006 and 2007. The Golden Flyers were hoping to compete for a conference title in men's tennis in 2020, but the season ended prematurely due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Under Waida’s direction, the Nazareth women’s team has competed in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament 19 times, earning runner-up honors four times including second-place finishes in 2018, 2019 and 2022.
A Rochester native, Waida is a 1989 Nazareth graduate and played tennis for the Golden Flyers for four seasons. He was Shapiro’s assistant coach for three seasons.
Waida’s tennis coaching experience includes 10 seasons as head coach at Pittsford Sutherland High School. He also has worked as a teaching professional at Monroe Golf Club, the University of Rochester, the Harley School and Mendon Ponds Tennis and Swim Club. At Nazareth, Waida also oversees the Nazareth equipment room.
He has a degree in Studio Art and is a K-12 certified teacher.
Each year, the talented artist uses his skills to craft every graduating senior a hand-made gift commemorating their time at Nazareth. The impressive final products are always a major hit for all the team recipients.
