University Liggett School hires coaches for spring season

University Liggett School is pleased to announce the following additions to our spring Upper School coaching staff:

Ken Thomas has been named head girls’ varsity tennis coach. Thomas recently moved back to Grosse Pointe after coaching collegiate tennis in California for much of the previous decade. Thomas was most recently head coach at the College of the Desert and was named Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2018.

Thomas is originally from Detroit and was a two-time MHSAA individual tennis state champion for Detroit Austin Catholic Preparatory High School. He played for the University of Wisconsin where he was Big Ten Singles Champion, Big Ten Singles Finalist, Wisconsin Team Captain, and a three-time All-Big Ten Selection. Thomas was USTA National Men’s Grass Court Doubles Champion 1993 and 1996. Thomas is also the owner and founder of RadioTennis.com and is a tennis commentator at all levels.

Assisting Thomas is Morgan Warner. Warner began coaching at Liggett a year ago, but that season was cut short due to COVID-19. Warner is the Tennis Director at Eastside Tennis & Fitness Club and coaches the boys at Grosse Pointe South High School in the fall. The girls’ JV coach is Alain Guedes, who is a full-time humanities teacher and sophomore class dean.

Melvin Moss is entering his second season as head track & field coach. He will be assisted by Matthew Molinaro, Jermaine Calloway, and Meredith Gilbert. Molinaro will be the distance coach, and also works as a fitness instructor; he was previously a professional track and field athlete for Hoka One One and was an NCAA Division III national champion in the 800 meters during his career at Ohio Northern University. Calloway, who also assists with varsity football, will work with sprinters and jumpers. Gilbert is joining Liggett as shot put and discus coach, events in which she has seven years of competitive experience. Gilbert is also the head synchronized swimming coach for Grosse Pointe Public School System.

Brock Dunn, Head of Upper School, is head varsity softball coach. Dunn previously coached softball at the Ethel Walker School and Williston Northampton School. Rob Butler, Head of Middle School, and Katie Sime, Middle School physical education teacher, will assist.

Returning head varsity coaches include Dan Cimini, baseball (since 2006), Dan Sullivan, golf (since 2007), David Dwaihy, girls’ soccer (since 2009), Jennifer Larson, girls’ lacrosse (since 2016), and Mike Costanzo, boys’ lacrosse (since 2016)