Tom Black begins his fifth season as head coach at UCSD in 2009. In 2008, the Tritons handed No. 1 Cal State San Bernardino its first loss of the year and qualified for the NCAA Tournament. UCSD won over 20 games for the 25th time in school history. UCSD's Rebecca Bailey became the school's all-time career kills leader and finished her UCSD career as a two-time AVCA All-American
In 2007, the Tritons knocked off the No. 2 team in the country on the road and advanced to the NCAA Pacific Region Semifinals. Also, the 2007 Tritons had an All-American and four student-athletes on the CCAA All-Conference squad.
In 2006, Black directed the Tritons back to the postseason in a big way, finishing the year with a 26-3 overall record, an NCAA Elite Eight appearance, a NCAA Pacific Regional Championship and a final national ranking of No. 5. For his efforts, Black was named the 2006 Tachikara/AVCA D-II Pacific Region Coach of the Year and CCAA Co-Coach of the Year.
Also in 2006, Black coached the CCAA Player of the Year in Nicole Courtney and had four memebers of the team named to the All-CCAA squad.
In 2005, Black took over as head coach for the UCSD women's volleyball program with six new starters, leading the team to victories over two ranked opponents as part of a 19-8 record on the season. UCSD had three players named to the all-CCAA team and one student-athlete earned AVCA Pacific Region honors.
Black came to UCSD after spending two seasons as an assistant coach for the men's volleyball program at USC. Prior to his stint with the Trojans he spent 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.
Black began his coaching career as an assistant boys' coach at Royal High in Simi Valley, Calif., for two seasons (1997-98). The 1997 Royal team was a CIF Division I finalist. He then spent three years (1999-2001) as the head boys' coach at Thousand Oaks (Calif.) High, where he also taught English and history.
He also served as the co-director of the Santa Monica Beach Club team for the last four years. 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.
Black is no stranger to the La Jolla campus as he was a four-year (1993-96) varsity letterman for the Tritons' men's volleyball program, 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 while also earning Small College All-America honors that same year.
He received his bachelor's degree in political science from UCSD in 1996. A California native, Black prepped at Crespi High in Encino, Calif., where he made the All-CIF third team as a 1991 senior.
