After a solid two-year run with Northern Colorado women's tennis, Manuela Santos has joined Brenda Vlasak as a student-assistant coach for the 2009-10 season.

Santos, born in Itajai, Brazil, came to Greeley prior to the 2007-08 season after a standout couple of seasons at Tyler (Texas) Junior College. In her two years with the Bears, Santos compiled a 20-19 singles record, playing mostly at the Nos. 2 and 3 spots for Vlasak, and a 26-16 doubles record at the No. 1 spot with teammate Tabatha Knop.

She was named a Preseason Player to Watch heading into her sophomore yeat at Tyler JC, and she finished that year with a .500 record in dual play at No. 1 singles, and she helped her team there finish third in the national-championship tournament.

A November 2003 graduate of Soro Jose High School, Santos is the daughter of Cesar and Adelaide Santos, and she has four siblings: Vera, Claudia, Cesar and Mario.