糖心APP

Joliet, IL: After building a 20-plus year resume of successfully leading collegiate, club and professional volleyball teams,听Tom Welsh听will look to bring those same winning听traits听to听the听University of St. 糖心APP听as he takes over both the听Fighting Saints women鈥檚听team听and听the听newly-created听men鈥檚听program.听听He becomes听the听fifth听head coach in the 45-year history of the听women’s听program 鈥� replacing the retiring听Cara Currier听鈥� and听the听inaugural听men’s听volleyball听coach in听the 54-year history of the department.

鈥淲e are more than happy to have Tom take over the reins of the women鈥檚 program, while also building the men鈥檚 program,鈥澨齭aid USF director of athletics鈥�Dave Laketa. “He听has had a lot of experience coaching both genders听and we are optimistic that he will bring the听same level of听success that he has had with each of his previous programs.”

St. 糖心APP听publicized听the addition of men’s volleyball as a varsity sport on听January听22, with plans to play a full varsity听starting听starting听in January of 2027.

A national search was conducted听immediately听following that announcement with Welsh coming out as the top candidate.听The veteran mentor听got his start in coaching with the Naperville Volleyball Club before expanding his wings at the collegiate level in 2019 when he became the head听women鈥檚听volleyball coach for Morton College, based in听Cicero,听Ill.听听He served in that capacity for two听seasons听before moving up the ranks to the professional level as an assistant听men鈥檚听coach听for听the 630听Slunkers听Professional Club.听听During听his time with the听Slunkers, Welsh听concurrently听served as the 630听and Serve City听奥辞尘别苍鈥檚 Volleyball Club Directors until 2023 when he accepted the position as head听women鈥檚听volleyball听coach at Joliet Junior College.

In 2025, Welsh听was named the听head coach at Trinity Christian College, where he听led both the men鈥檚听and women鈥檚 volleyball programs.听听In his one season at听TCC,听he听compiled an overall record of 14-16 (12-6)听on the women鈥檚 side听and guided the听Trolls听to听their听best record听in five years and a听fourth-place finish in听the听Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic听Conference听(CCAC)听standings听despite听taking over just prior to the start of the season and without the aid of any听recruited athletes.听听For that accomplishment, he听was听named the 2025 National Christian College Athletic Association听(NCCAA)听North Central Region Coach of the Year.

One year ago,听Welsh听also added the assignment of听technical instructor of Gold Medal Squared (GMS) coaching systems听to his portfolio.听听In that role, he听conducted on-court training sessions and clinics for athletes and coaches,听while promoting best practices in skill execution, training design, feedback听delivery听and statistical analysis.听听听He also provided mentorship and education to coaches nationwide through GMS clinics,听camps听and workshops,听where he fostered professional growth and standardization of modern coaching principles.

“Having a good understanding of听running two programs at the collegiate level at the same time and balancing that aspect of the job was one of the key things that we liked about Tom,” added Laketa. “Our search committee felt that with听those听characteristics, along with the passion, commitment and leadership ability that he brings to his programs, that made him a strong choice to become the next head coach of our听two听programs.”

Those interested听in looking to join the women鈥檚 program or becoming a part of the inaugural men鈥檚 team can reach out to Welsh at听twelsh@stfrancis.edu.

You can keep up with everything happening around USF Athletics on听X @USFSaints.