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Tom Black

Position: Assistant Coach Experience: 2nd Season

Tom Black, a successful player and coach, is in his second year as an assistant men's volleyball coach at USC.

Black, 31, came to USC in 2004 after spending the 2002 and 2003 seasons as the men's head coach at Pierce Junior College in Woodland Hills (Calif.). He also was an assistant in 2003 with the Pierce women's team. His men's squads won the 2002 and 2003 California state junior college crowns (finishing 15-3 in 2002 and 17-2 in 2003).

He began his coaching career as an assistant boys' coach at Royal High in Simi Valley (Calif.) for 2 seasons (1997-98). The 1997 Royal team was the CIF Division I finalist.

He then spent 3 years (1999-2001) as the head boys' coach at Thousand Oaks (Calif.) High, where he also taught English and history.

He also has served 4 years (2002-05) as the co-director of the Santa Monica Beach Club team. He was the head coach of SMBC's boys' 18s team in 2003, 2004 and 2005 after serving as an assistant in 2002 with the 18s team that won the bronze medal at the Junior Olympics. He also is the head coach of SMBC's girls' 17s team in 2005.

He was a 4-year (1993-96) letterman at UC San Diego, setting numerous hitting records and earning All-MPSF honorable mention notice as a senior in 1996. He also was Volleyball magazine's Small College Player of the Year in 1996 (and made its Small College All-American first team).

He received his bachelor's degree in political science from UC San Diego in 1996.

He prepped at Crespi High in Encino (Calif.), where he made the All-CIF third team as a 1991 senior.

He spent the summer of 2001 competing on the AVP beach tour.

He was a substitute teacher while at Thousand Oaks High and Pierce JC.

His grandfather, Tom Nickell, was a USC vice president.

Born Oct. 20, 1973, he is single.