Vice President and Director of Athletics Mike Broeker announced Tom Mendoza as the sixth head coach in Marquette women’s volleyball history Sunday afternoon.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tom Mendoza to Marquette University,” Broeker said. “Tom brings an exceptional track record of success, most recently at the Power Four level, where he has consistently demonstrated the ability to build competitive, high-performing teams. His commitment to fostering strong relationships with his student-athletes, alongside his deep understanding of the role athletics plays on a Catholic, Jesuit campus, makes him an ideal fit for Marquette.”
Mendoza has spent the past nine seasons as head coach at the NCAA Division I level, including the last seven seasons at the University of South Carolina, which he’s led to four NCAA tournament appearances. He guided USC to consecutive NCAA berths in his first two seasons in Columbia (2018 and 2019) after arriving following a pair of Big South Conference championships in his only two seasons at High Point in 2017 and 2018. His teams also participated in the NCAAs in 2021 and this past fall at South Carolina.
“I want to thank Marquette President Dr. Kimo Ah Yun, Mike Broeker, and (MU Executive Associate Athletic Director) Danielle Josetti for their work in this process and entrusting me to lead the volleyball program,” Mendoza said. “I am honored to lead the program into a new era in which we can build on the success and history of those who came before us and work to reach new heights.
“As college athletics becomes increasingly transactional, I believe the values-based personalized college experience that Marquette offers will set us apart in recruiting and developing leaders and high achieving student-athletes. I look forward to the next few days of getting to know the current and future Golden Eagles and talking through what I can do to help them reach their potential both individually and as a team.”
He oversaw a dramatic rise at South Carolina during his first two seasons that resulted in the program’s first back-to-back 20-win seasons in nearly two decades and first NCAA appearance in 16 years. The Gamecocks also posted double-digit Southeastern Conference victories during the first three years of Mendoza’s tenure for the first time in just as long.
USC posted just the program’s fifth NCAA tournament win in 46 seasons during the 2018 campaign over Colorado and defeated then-No. 10 Colorado State in the first round of the 2019 tournament. That victory over CSU was South Carolina’s first over a top-10 foe since 2006 and in total, Mendoza’s squads at USC notched 11 wins over AVCA top-25 opponents.
Five individuals earned All-SEC honors at South Carolina from 2018-24, including two-time AVCA All-American Mikayla Robinson. Outside hitter Riley Whitesides earned All-SEC recognition in 2024 after averaging 4.47 kills per set, the second-highest single-season average in program history, and is one of five AVCA All-Region performers at USC in the last seven years. Each of Mendoza’s teams at South Carolina garnered AVCA Team Academic Awards and in his first six seasons, USC players earned a total of 74 SEC Academic Honor Roll accolades.
Mendoza posted an overall record of 106-90 during his seven seasons in Columbia and was 47-18 in two seasons at High Point. He earned AVCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year in 2017 during his final season with the Panthers after a perfect 16-0 Big South regular season performance. HPU earned a rare at-large bid to the NCAA tournament that year thanks to a resume buoyed by early season non-conference victories over Oklahoma, Georgia and Ohio.
Prior to becoming head coach at High Point, Mendoza was associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for Kirsten Berthal Booth at Creighton, serving in the roles for the final three years of his six seasons with the Bluejays (2010-15). He was part of five NCAA tournament teams and conference championships at Creighton and was at CU for the Jays’ first three seasons as members of the Big East Conference.
“I have fond memories of my time in the Big East, and I believe the values-based education that Marquette offers attracts and develops high achieving student-athletes and leaders,” Mendoza said. “I know Marquette can be successful on a national level and compete for BIG EAST Championships on a yearly basis.”
Mendoza spent one season as an assistant at Evansville and two seasons as a volunteer assistant at Michigan State before arriving at Creighton. He was on coaching staffs that advanced to NCAA Regionals at both MSU in 2007 and Creighton in 2015.
The native of Buffalo Grove, Illinois, just under 70 miles from the MU campus, was a three-year letter winner and 2004 NAIA All-American setter at Newman University. He spent his final college season at Lewis University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in management information systems in 2007.
The Golden Eagles, who went 25-9 last fall and advanced to their third NCAA regional, have competed in each of the last 13 full-field NCAA tournaments and their five wins in tournament play over the last three seasons are a program record. MU has a streak of 20-win seasons (excluding the shortened 2020-21 campaign) dating back to 2010.
“Tom shares our passion for developing student-athletes who excel both on the court and in life,” Broeker said. “His vision for continuing the success of our program aligns perfectly with Marquette’s mission, and we are excited to see the impact he will have in shaping the future of Marquette Volleyball.
“I would also like to express my sincere thanks to Danielle Josetti for her exceptional leadership and dedication throughout our search process. Her hard work and thoughtful approach were instrumental in bringing us to this exciting moment, and we are grateful for her efforts.”
“The response to our search was incredible, and Tom stood out as an exceptional leader with a proven track record as a head coach,” Josetti said. “He brings the experience and vision to elevate our program, while also being a dedicated and collaborative member of the athletic department. His values align seamlessly with ours, and we are confident he will maintain a competitive edge. Tom is a true winner who knows how to identify and recruit the student-athletes who will thrive at Marquette. I look forward to working alongside him and his staff and extending a warm welcome to his wife, Megan, as part of the Marquette community.”
