Yana (Sokolenko) Carollo, a former Virginia Commonwealth University tennis standout under veteran head coach Paul Kostin, is in her third year as a coach with the institution’s tradition-rich tennis programs. After two years as an assistant coach, Carollo was elevated to the position of Associate Head Coach following the 2006 season. Carollo, serves as an assistant with both teams, but will primarily be responsible for daily duties associated with the women’s squad.

Carollo, a fierce competitor for the Rams from 1999 to 2002, was an exceptional team player who provided leadership on and off the court.  During her four years as part of the VCU line-up, Carollo posted an impressive 72-26 overall singles record and a 53-22 mark in doubles competition.  She is currently ranked fourth all-time at VCU with her 72 career victories.

The Belarus native earned first team All-CAA honors in both singles and doubles after a stellar freshman campaign in which she recorded a 20-3 mark in singles and a 9-4 mark in doubles.  Additionally, Carollo went unbeaten at the league’s annual tournament and ended the season on an 11-game win streak.

Following her phenomenal rookie season, Carollo went on to have an outstanding career with the Rams.   Her sophomore year, she was 26-10 in singles play – a record that still stands as the fifth-most single-season wins all-time at VCU.  As a junior, Carollo earned second team All-CAA honors in both singles and doubles, after finishing the season with a 14-6 singles mark and a 12-3 record in doubles. Her 12 doubles victories with partner Silvia Urickova ranks ninth all-time at VCU for single season wins by a doubles team.

Carollo a native of Minsk, Belarus, graduated from the institution in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Carollo and her husband, Giuseppe, have a son, Domenick.