University of Notre Dame

"I had a very disappointing experience with Notre Dame tennis, largely because of the coaching. Silverio consistently demonstrated poor communication, often failing to clearly outline expectations or provide constructive feedback. Practices felt disorganized, and there was little sense of a structured development plan for players. What stood out most was the lack of support for athletes both on and off the court. Instead of fostering a positive, competitive environment, Alison often created unnecessary tension and appeared to play favorites. Opportunities didn’t always seem to be based on performance or effort, which made it difficult to stay motivated and trust the process. A major concern was the impact this environment had on my mental health. The constant pressure without adequate support, combined with inconsistent communication, created a stressful and discouraging atmosphere. Instead of building confidence, her coaching style often left us feeling anxious, undervalued, and mentally drained. Over time, this kind of environment takes a serious toll, especially for student-athletes already balancing academics and high-level competition. Concerns brought to the coach were frequently dismissed rather than addressed. For a program like Notre Dame, you would expect professionalism, accountability, and a commitment to athlete well-being—not just performance. Overall, my experience with tennis was extremely frustrating and disappointing. Notre Dame is a great school but Notre Dame tennis will never be good with Alison Silverio as the coach! "

"It is a real bummer Notre Dame does not have a coach that can cultivate the culture that a Notre Dame team should have. "

"Toxic coach, Toxic culture. Pushes sports psychologist but needs her own. ND would fire her but they don’t care about tennis"