USC Men's Tennis Adds Marc Lucero to Coaching Staff

LOS ANGELES - USC men's tennis has hired Marc Lucero to the position of associate head coach, head coach Brett Masi announced on Saturday, July 20.

"Marc is a top-of-the-line coach and an even better human being," Masi said. "The Trojans got better today by landing a top coach like him. His expertise in the pro field coaching guys like Stevie Johnson is only going to make our team that much better. We are going to learn a great deal from Marc, and we can't wait to get him here on campus and get him going. Fight On!"

"I am thrilled to be joining the USC family," Lucero said. "The men's tennis program has a tradition unlike any other, and I'm both inspired and humbled by the challenge ahead. I am extremely appreciative of the opportunity from Head Coach Brett Masi, Senior Associate AD Paul Perrier, and AD Jennifer Cohen. I'm eager to get to work! Fight On! "

Lucero had served as a coach on the professional circuit since 2013. During that span, he worked with five different players: Amanda Anisimova (2023-204), USC legend Steve Johnson (2019-2023), former No. 48th-ranked player Shelby Rogers (2014-19), Genie Bouchard (2013) and Alison Riske (2014). Recently, Lucero joined the coaching circle of Anisimova as he helped her return to the professional landscape after she took a sabbatical for most of 2023. During that span, Lucero helped her return to the scene as she made the 4th round of the Australian Open in just her second event back.

During Lucero's time with USC legend Steve Johnson, he helped him win the Bendigo Challenger and the Indian Wells 125k Challenger in 2020. Johnson also reached the 3rd round of Wimbledon in 2022 under Lucero's coaching.

Before working in the professional landscape, Lucero was a United States Tennis Association Player Development coach from 2010 to 2012. During that period, he traveled around the country and developed the next wave of women's tennis talent in the United States. Lucero worked with players such as Emma Higuchi and Nicole Gibbs. Higuchi won two National Championships in 2012 and ranked No. 1 in the USA. Gibbs won two NCAA National Championships and ranked within the WTA Top 200 during her collegiate career.

Lucero started his coaching career as an assistant tennis coach for the women's tennis program at Princeton University from the fall of 2004 through June 2007. There, he helped recruit the No. 3 and No. 2 ranked recruiting class in the nation.

Lucero graduated from Boston College with a degree in Economics in 2002. He captained the men's varsity team at BC and led the Eagles in career wins.

HEAR FROM THE PROS:

"Marc is an excellent hire for this program," Steve Johnson said. "He is an excellent tennis coach and even better at managing players and tailoring his coaching abilities to match their personalities. Very excited to see what he can do at the program."

"Whoever hires Marc is making a great choice," Shelby Rogers said. "He is a valuable addition in any coaching scenario, providing a level of professionalism that is hard to come by. He is adaptable, knowledgeable, and easy to talk to, and I always found he was committed to problem-solving and finding the best solutions. He's able to stay positive and realistic, which is helpful to any team."

For more information on the USC men's tennis team, including a complete schedule and results, please visit USCTrojans.com. Fans of the Trojans can follow the team on Instagram and Twitter @USCMensTennis.

University Southern California Trojans

Related News

USC Men's Tennis Adds Marc Lucero to Coaching Staff

Related Videos

Trojans footer