Former Golden Eagle No. 1 tennis player Edgardo Rivera, who played two seasons at Tennessee Tech, is one of 19 new castaways who will be featured on Survivor: Fiji when the 14th installment of the Emmy Award-winning series premieres Thursday at 7 p.m. CST on CBS.
Rivera, 28, is currently an advertising executive in Miami Beach, Fla. A native of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, he played at Tech in 1997 and 1998 under former tennis coach Randy Smith.
In 1997, he played at No. 2 singles, then moved up to the No. 1 position in 1998. He teamed with David Dewandaka at No. 1 doubles in his first season, then was paired with Mark Andrijcich in the same event in his second season.
Rivera developed his game on the junior level in Puerto Rico under the coaching of former Golden Eagle OVC Player of the Year and TTU Sports Hall of Fame inductee Juan Escudero. As a sophomore, he was a member of Puerto Rico’s Davis Cup team.
He eventually received his bachelor’s degree in advertising from Ball State University in Muncie, Ind, where he played his final two seasons on the tennis team.
Rivera began to work in an advertising agency in Puerto Rico before moving to Miami to further his career. He is currently a Regional Account and Planning Supervisor for a major client of a multinational advertising agency.
According to the CBS publicity released on him, Rivera enjoys playing beach volleyball, tennis, basketball, traveling, spending time with his family and friends when he visits Puerto Rico and occasionally hitting the hot spots in South Beach, Miami.
He describes himself as spontaneous, ambitious and very adventurous.
Rivera has three younger sisters, Rebeca, Adriana and Isabella. He currently resides in Miami Beach, Florida.
Survivor: Fiji will feature a diverse cast of Americans who will begin the series as one tribe with plenty of supplies and resources on their island to make an exceptionally comfortable camp.
On Day Three, the castaways will be split into two tribes, selected by one of their own as a result of events to take place prior to the first Immunity Challenge.
The tribe that wins the first Immunity Challenge will return to the camp of copious resources while the losing tribe must relocate to a new island with only a pot, a machete and a water source.
In addition, throughout the series, at least one castaway in each episode will be banished to a separate island (Exile Island) miles away from camp.
The castaways will learn that there is a Hidden Immunity Idol located somewhere at each tribe camp and that a new clue to their whereabouts will be waiting for the latest person sent to Exile Island. Such a twist offers the opportunity for more than one individual to be in possession of a Hidden Immunity Idol at the same time. These Hidden Immunity Idols may be played at future Tribal Councils if the possessor feels they are in danger of being voted off the island.
For more detailed information on Survivor: Fiji and the 19 new castaways, log on to www.cbs.com/survivor.