Sam Kercheval 2023-24 Men's Tennis Staff

Kercheval was promoted to assistant coach prior to the start of the 2023-24 season. Previously, Kercheval spent the past five seasons as the team’s volunteer assistant coach before being elevated. Prior to joining the Fighting Irish, he previously spent three years at Eastern Illinois University where he began as the Head Men’s Coach before being named the Director Of Tennis in his final season. While at EIU, Kercheval led the men to the highest conference finish since 2014 and coached the Panthers to an OVC Tournament appearance in 2018 (men). In 2018, he led the women to the OVC Tournament semifinals. During his time at EIU, Kercheval coached two All-OVC First Team players and four All-OVC Second Team players as well as two Academic All-Americans.

Prior to his time in Charleston, Illinois, he served as the volunteer men’s tennis coach at Indiana University.

In addition to his collegiate coaching, he was a long-time Assistant Professional and Adult Program Coordinator at the Indiana University Tennis Center as well as the Head Girls Tennis Coach for Bloomington South. While at BHSS, his teams were a perennial top-15 ranked team in the state of Indiana, made a team run to the final four in the state tournament and coached his #1 singles player to a pair of undefeated seasons culminating in two individual state championships.

Kercheval is a USPTA certified Elite Professional, earning USPTA honors for Midwest Under 30 Professional of the year in 2014 and USPTA Indiana Professional of the year in 2012.