Marshall University Athletics
Women's Tennis
Laurie Mercer
- Title:
- Volunteer Assistant
- Email:
- -----
- Phone:
- -----
The 2020-2021 season will mark the second season Laurie Mercer has been back as a volunteer coach for the Herd. Laurie Mercer returned to help the Herd Tennis team for the 2020 season. Laurie has held numerous positions with Marshall women’s tennis team. She was the head women’s tennis coach for nine seasons 1994-2003, she then moved to assistant women’s tennis coach for the Thundering Herd in 2003-2009.
During her tenure as head coach for Marshall, Mercer led the Thundering Herd to unprecedented success and has re-written the Marshall coaching record books. She finished her career as Marshall’s head coach by leading the team to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance and the 2002 Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship.
Mercer has more than 14 years of coaching experience at the division I level. Prior to the Thundering Herd’s NCAA tournament run in 2002, Mercer led Marshall to a 2000 MAC regular season championship, a 1997 Southern Conference regular season championship and a 1997 Southern Conference tournament championship. During her nine seasons, Mercer compiled a career record of 142-74 and was the first coach in school history to surpass 100 career wins. In addition, her teams were consistently ranked in the top-75 national and top-15 regional rankings throughout her career.
She competed in college at Furman University, where she played number one singles her senior season and was part of the number one doubles team for he Paladins for three seasons. While at Furman, she won five individual Southern Conference Championships and helped lead her team to two Southern Conference Championships.
During her playing career, Mercer was named to the All-Southern Conference team four times and was also an academic all- conference selection. In 1992, she was named to Furman’s Tennis Team of the Decade. Mercer graduated from Furman in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree. She finished her career at Furman by representing the United States in Western Europe as a member of the National Athletes in Action tennis team in 1990.
In addition to her collegiate accomplishments, Mercer worked for two years as a graduate assistant at Furman while earning her master’s degree in health and exercise science in 1992. During her two years as a graduate assistant coach, Furman earned two Southern Conference titles.
After her stint at Furman, she was named assistant women’s tennis coach at the University of Houston before moving on to take over the Marshall program.
The former Laurie Johnson is married to John Mercer and has three children: daughter Cassie, son John Jeremiah and son Andrew Jacob.
During her tenure as head coach for Marshall, Mercer led the Thundering Herd to unprecedented success and has re-written the Marshall coaching record books. She finished her career as Marshall’s head coach by leading the team to its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance and the 2002 Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship.
Mercer has more than 14 years of coaching experience at the division I level. Prior to the Thundering Herd’s NCAA tournament run in 2002, Mercer led Marshall to a 2000 MAC regular season championship, a 1997 Southern Conference regular season championship and a 1997 Southern Conference tournament championship. During her nine seasons, Mercer compiled a career record of 142-74 and was the first coach in school history to surpass 100 career wins. In addition, her teams were consistently ranked in the top-75 national and top-15 regional rankings throughout her career.
She competed in college at Furman University, where she played number one singles her senior season and was part of the number one doubles team for he Paladins for three seasons. While at Furman, she won five individual Southern Conference Championships and helped lead her team to two Southern Conference Championships.
During her playing career, Mercer was named to the All-Southern Conference team four times and was also an academic all- conference selection. In 1992, she was named to Furman’s Tennis Team of the Decade. Mercer graduated from Furman in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science degree. She finished her career at Furman by representing the United States in Western Europe as a member of the National Athletes in Action tennis team in 1990.
In addition to her collegiate accomplishments, Mercer worked for two years as a graduate assistant at Furman while earning her master’s degree in health and exercise science in 1992. During her two years as a graduate assistant coach, Furman earned two Southern Conference titles.
After her stint at Furman, she was named assistant women’s tennis coach at the University of Houston before moving on to take over the Marshall program.
The former Laurie Johnson is married to John Mercer and has three children: daughter Cassie, son John Jeremiah and son Andrew Jacob.
Season Hype
Friday, April 28
