Jerome Simon embarks on his 14th season at the reins of the Laker tennis programs in the 2024-25 campaign after taking over in the Fall of 2011 from veteran coach Ray Yost.
In the 2023-24 campaign the men's team finished with a record of 14-6 while being named the two-seed in the PSAC Tournament before reaching the NCAA DII Atlantic Regional. The Lakers were able to begin the spring they wanted to with them winning seven of their first eight decisions, seeing each of those wins come in a row. Their continued success all season long led to two players being named to an All-PSAC team. The women finished with three all-conference members with Kayla Dean being the lone member to be honored as a member of both the single and doubles teams. The women were able to win 16 of their matches on the year with one of the longest winning streaks in program history, winning eight from 2/13/24 to 3/28/24. With the success of both teams, Simon was honored by the ITA as the Atlantic Region Coach of the Year.
Simon helped lead the Men's Tennis team to a record of 11-8 while making the cut for the NCAA Tournament while the women finished with a mark of 10-9. On the men's side, the Lakers claimed to All-PSAC Singles spots including the Freshman of the Year in Lukas Cabue Valverde to go along with one doubles team finding their way onto the list.. For the women, Kayla Dean was named to the All-PSAC First Team along with being the PSAC Player of the Year while being named one of the All-PSAC First Team Doubles teams alongside Roisin Murphy who was named to the All-PSAC Singles Second Team.
In 2020-21 Simon led the men's squad to a regular season conference title and earning the PSAC Men's Coach of the Year honors. Unai Amilleta Gonzalez earned PSAC Player of the Year honors as well. The women also qualified for the PSAC postseason.
During the 2018-19 season both the men's and women's teams won the PSAC title.
Simon's immediate goal was to take the men’s program back to respectability. The first years were a challenge, winning just one match that first year. Within four year,s the team not only qualified for the NCAA regional tournament, but was successful in making it to the National Championship site of the Top 16 teams in the country. The 2016-17 season saw the Lakers secure their first ever PSAC Men’s Championship. The Mercyhurs tmen followed that up with a two repeat PSAC title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 16.
The women’s program was already established as one of the premier programs in both the PSAC and the Atlantic Region. New heights were achieved for the program both as a team and individuals. On the team level in the both 2016-17 and 2017-18 season, the Mercyhurst women were PSAC Tournament runners-up. In 2018-19 they won the PSACTitle. The Lakers have won the NCAA Atlantic Regional to qualify for the National Tournament in AltamonteSprings, Fla., and a spot in the Final 16. Mercyhurst also made three consecutive trips to the ITA Oracle Cup as SaioaGomez de Segura placed third and fifth in consecutive years.
The proudest accomplishments of Coach Simon are the academic success of each of the teams. Each year, both teams have been All-Academic selections on a National level, recognized by the ITA. This, in addition to consistently winning the top GPA performers in the PSAC, both as individuals and team. In 2017-18, the Lakers had the highest GPA among all PSAC teams in all sports, finishing with a 3.96.
A 1974 graduate of Edinboro University, Simon was captain of a team that also captured PSAC title as well as multiple team and individual District 18 NAIA titles. In 1998, he was honored by EdinboroUniversity with his induction into the university’s Athletic Hall of Fame. He is also a member of Edinboro’s All-Time Men’s Tennis team.
After his run of building and running tennis clubs throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana. Simon returned to his hometown of Erie and immediately established a girl’s tennis program at Fairview High school. During his 33 year at the school, he was most proud of his “no -cut” policy, which was recognized by the USTA long before they had such a program. He lists that as his proudest accomplishments over all the titles and undefeated seasons he enjoyed as coach. He accomplished this while he and his brothers ran a successful family business started by their father years ago.
Simon has been a member of the USPTA since 1974 as an Elite Professional.
Coach Simon and his wife, a retired teacher, reside in Fairview and have two sons, Nicholas, a Mercyhurst graduate, and Christopher of Larchmont, NY.
