University of Notre Dame

"Emotionally abusive and toxic. Told me i couldn’t be friends with someone because they didn’t play and i did. Ices people out for no reason. Says really mean thing to players in front of everyone. She shouldn’t be a coach"

"Toxic leadership and player management: This coach engages in psychological manipulation of her players and deliberately pits teammates against one another. Training demands exceed reasonable expectations even for a competitive D1 program. She attempts to control players’ personal lives, including dictating who they can and cannot be friends with — even among teammates. Her treatment of and communication with players is consistently harsh and demeaning. Lack of positional knowledge: She does not appear to understand the responsibilities of positions outside of attack, which raises serious questions about her fitness to serve as head coach. Team culture: Morale is at an all-time low. Health and safety concerns: Mental health is not treated as a priority, and injured players are pressured to play through injuries rather than being given appropriate time to recover."

"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. "