Men's Tennis
Spencer, Kyle
Kyle Spencer
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- kpspence@ncsu.edu
Kyle Spencer was named head coach of the NC State men’s tennis program in June of 2017. Spencer, a former Olympian and All-American, came to the Wolfpack after spending more than four seasons as an assistant coach at Southern Methodist University (SMU), while also having previous ACC head coaching experience at Maryland.
Spencer also served as an assistant for two programs (USC, Baylor) that reached the Final Four.
The 2025 season was the most successful under Spencer with numerous accolades across the board. The squad finished the season ranked No. 7 by ITA, topping the best season-ending ranking in program history set in 2022. A 22-7 overall record secured the most wins in a season by the Pack since 2007, as well as a 12-1 conference mark set the new program record for most ACC wins in a season. Early in the dual season, an upset on the road led to the program's second-ever berth to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships, both appearances being under Spencer. During the regular season, the team reached an all-time ITA ranking of No. 4 on April 1. The Pack finished off the season in the NCAA Super Regional, the program's third-ever appearance in the Sweet 16 and second with Spencer at the helm. Closing out the season ranked in the top 10 of doubles rankings, senior duo Braden Shick and Fons Van Sambeek earned All-America honors to become the 10th and 11th All-Americans in program history. During the fall season, three players qualified for the NCAA Singles Championship, marking the most players to qualify in a season for the Pack.
On the professional side, Spencer coached Nathaniel Lammons to a career high of No. 17 in the world, in addition to guiding the doubles pair of Lammons and Withrow to No. 8 in the world and an appearance at the semfinals of the 2024 U.S. Open.
Under his leadership, at the time, NC State posted its best season-ending ranking in program history in 2022 with a placement of No. 18. The season saw the Pack compile its first 20-win season wince 2012 with seven of those wins coming over top-25 opponents. The squad earned a berth in the Sweet 16, the program's first under Spencer's leadership.
In the 2020-21 season, Spencer coached the Wolfpack to an overall record of 11-9 and a conference record of 7-3. The team ended the season being ranked as the No. 25 team in the nation by the Collegiate ITA poll. Spencer led the team to its third-straight NCAA appearance and has taken his squad to the NCAA's in each season with NC State that the national tournament has been held.
Spencer contributed to the success of singles player Alexis Galarneau, who was ranked 25th in singles competition, and advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA singles championships. Galarneau not only had the NCAA berth, but he also received All-American status for the second year in a row with his appearance in the tournament.
The Wolfpack had a program-best three athletes recognized as All-ACC Academic honorees for the 2020-21 year. The program garnered recognition as an ITA All-Academic Team for the second consecutive year and saw seven athletes receive ITA Scholar-Athlete laurels for their outstanding academic achievement.
In the 2019-20 season, Spencer and the Wolfpack soared to new heights as they made history with wins over top teams and program-high rankings. The squad achieved multiple program-best Oracle/ITA team rankings throughout the year, peaking at No. 6 at the conclusion of the season.
The season saw NC State punch a ticket to the ITA Indoor National Championships for the first time in program history, an achievement that came on the heels of a pair of ITA Kickoff Weekend victories. The squad tabbed three top-25 wins, its highest coming in the form of a 4-3 victory over No. 4 Texas. The win was the the highest-ranked in over 20 years and marked the first over a top-10 team since 2016.
Spencer led the Pack to one of its best seasons in program history during 2018-19, culminating with a No. 23 national ranking at the conclusion of the campaign. It was the squad's first top-25 finish since the 2007 season and its best national finish since that same year.
NC State ended the 2019 dual season with a 19-11 record as it amassed the most single-season victories since the 2012 campaign when it picked up 20 wins on the year. After its second-straight selection to the NCAA Championships, NC State advanced to the second round of the national tournament for just the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2014. The Pack took down a total of seven opponents that were nationally ranked at the time of competition during the 2019 campaign.
NC State posted an 8-4 record during regular-season conference play, marking the most league wins in a single season in program history. The squad went on to make history as the program's first-ever team to advance to the ACC Championship semifinals.
The Wolfpack also found tremendous success during the 2017-18 season, Spencer's first year at the helm. The team finished No. 29 in the nation in the final ITA rankings of the season, the third-highest finish in school history. Over the course of the season, NC State compiled a 17-9 overall record and picked up seven wins against opponents that were ranked in the season-ending top 50. NC State reached the NCAA Men's Tennis Championships for the first time since 2015. After entering the rankings for the first time on Feb. 20, NC State did not fall outside of the top 30, and the Wolfpack was the only program in the nation to go from finishing outside the top 50 in 2016-17 to finishing in the top 30 in 2017-18.
In four full seasons at SMU, Spencer helped lead the Mustangs to a record of 64-43 and two straight NCAA Tournament appearances in 2016 and 2017. The 2016 Mustangs finished with a record of 22-9, advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, and concluded the season with a national ranking of 22nd. Players mentored by Spencer and head coach Carl Neufield earned eight All-American Athletic Conference honors during the course of the last four seasons.
The men’s tennis program at SMU was also recently honored on May 3 as a recipient of the NCAA’s Public Recognition Award for scoring in the top 10 percent nationally in Academic Progress Rates (APR) from 2012-13 to 2015-16.
Prior to his time at SMU, Spencer was the head coach at the University of Maryland from 2009-12, where he worked with Yow during her tenure in College Park. He was voted the 2012 Wilson/ITA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year and led the Terrapins to a host of firsts, including their first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history during the 2010-11 season, and their first NCAA Tournament victory (over No. 20 Michigan).
Spencer’s 2011 and 2012 squads won the President’s Cup at Maryland, honoring the program with the highest team GPA.
He was an assistant coach at Baylor University from 2006-09, earning three straight Big XII conference championships and was recognized as ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2009 for his efforts. During his time at Baylor, he also helped lead the Bears to a 2007 NCAA Final Four appearance, as well as Elite 8 appearances in both 2008 and 2009.
He began his college coaching career as an assistant coach at the University of Southern California (USC) from 2003-05, where he assisted the Trojans in reaching the 2004 Final Four.
Spencer has also coached a number of professional players, including Cecil Mamiit (ATP career high No. 72, Robert Kendrick (ATP career high No. 77) and Ashley Fisher (ATP career high No. 20 in doubles).
As a player, Spencer won seven professional titles on the ATP Tour and reached the ATP Tour final in Newport, Rhode Island. He represented his native Great Britain in doubles at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and he was a four-time main draw participant at Wimbledon. An All-American and an Academic All-Pac 10 Team member while a player at USC, Spencer finished the 1997 collegiate season at No. 1 in the ITA doubles ranking, reaching the NCAA National Championship match.
Spencer is married to the former Kacie Arnold. The couple has a son, Max.
Spencer also served as an assistant for two programs (USC, Baylor) that reached the Final Four.
The 2025 season was the most successful under Spencer with numerous accolades across the board. The squad finished the season ranked No. 7 by ITA, topping the best season-ending ranking in program history set in 2022. A 22-7 overall record secured the most wins in a season by the Pack since 2007, as well as a 12-1 conference mark set the new program record for most ACC wins in a season. Early in the dual season, an upset on the road led to the program's second-ever berth to the ITA National Team Indoor Championships, both appearances being under Spencer. During the regular season, the team reached an all-time ITA ranking of No. 4 on April 1. The Pack finished off the season in the NCAA Super Regional, the program's third-ever appearance in the Sweet 16 and second with Spencer at the helm. Closing out the season ranked in the top 10 of doubles rankings, senior duo Braden Shick and Fons Van Sambeek earned All-America honors to become the 10th and 11th All-Americans in program history. During the fall season, three players qualified for the NCAA Singles Championship, marking the most players to qualify in a season for the Pack.
On the professional side, Spencer coached Nathaniel Lammons to a career high of No. 17 in the world, in addition to guiding the doubles pair of Lammons and Withrow to No. 8 in the world and an appearance at the semfinals of the 2024 U.S. Open.
Under his leadership, at the time, NC State posted its best season-ending ranking in program history in 2022 with a placement of No. 18. The season saw the Pack compile its first 20-win season wince 2012 with seven of those wins coming over top-25 opponents. The squad earned a berth in the Sweet 16, the program's first under Spencer's leadership.
In the 2020-21 season, Spencer coached the Wolfpack to an overall record of 11-9 and a conference record of 7-3. The team ended the season being ranked as the No. 25 team in the nation by the Collegiate ITA poll. Spencer led the team to its third-straight NCAA appearance and has taken his squad to the NCAA's in each season with NC State that the national tournament has been held.
Spencer contributed to the success of singles player Alexis Galarneau, who was ranked 25th in singles competition, and advanced to the round of 16 in the NCAA singles championships. Galarneau not only had the NCAA berth, but he also received All-American status for the second year in a row with his appearance in the tournament.
The Wolfpack had a program-best three athletes recognized as All-ACC Academic honorees for the 2020-21 year. The program garnered recognition as an ITA All-Academic Team for the second consecutive year and saw seven athletes receive ITA Scholar-Athlete laurels for their outstanding academic achievement.
In the 2019-20 season, Spencer and the Wolfpack soared to new heights as they made history with wins over top teams and program-high rankings. The squad achieved multiple program-best Oracle/ITA team rankings throughout the year, peaking at No. 6 at the conclusion of the season.
The season saw NC State punch a ticket to the ITA Indoor National Championships for the first time in program history, an achievement that came on the heels of a pair of ITA Kickoff Weekend victories. The squad tabbed three top-25 wins, its highest coming in the form of a 4-3 victory over No. 4 Texas. The win was the the highest-ranked in over 20 years and marked the first over a top-10 team since 2016.
Spencer led the Pack to one of its best seasons in program history during 2018-19, culminating with a No. 23 national ranking at the conclusion of the campaign. It was the squad's first top-25 finish since the 2007 season and its best national finish since that same year.
NC State ended the 2019 dual season with a 19-11 record as it amassed the most single-season victories since the 2012 campaign when it picked up 20 wins on the year. After its second-straight selection to the NCAA Championships, NC State advanced to the second round of the national tournament for just the fourth time in program history and the first time since 2014. The Pack took down a total of seven opponents that were nationally ranked at the time of competition during the 2019 campaign.
NC State posted an 8-4 record during regular-season conference play, marking the most league wins in a single season in program history. The squad went on to make history as the program's first-ever team to advance to the ACC Championship semifinals.
The Wolfpack also found tremendous success during the 2017-18 season, Spencer's first year at the helm. The team finished No. 29 in the nation in the final ITA rankings of the season, the third-highest finish in school history. Over the course of the season, NC State compiled a 17-9 overall record and picked up seven wins against opponents that were ranked in the season-ending top 50. NC State reached the NCAA Men's Tennis Championships for the first time since 2015. After entering the rankings for the first time on Feb. 20, NC State did not fall outside of the top 30, and the Wolfpack was the only program in the nation to go from finishing outside the top 50 in 2016-17 to finishing in the top 30 in 2017-18.
In four full seasons at SMU, Spencer helped lead the Mustangs to a record of 64-43 and two straight NCAA Tournament appearances in 2016 and 2017. The 2016 Mustangs finished with a record of 22-9, advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, and concluded the season with a national ranking of 22nd. Players mentored by Spencer and head coach Carl Neufield earned eight All-American Athletic Conference honors during the course of the last four seasons.
The men’s tennis program at SMU was also recently honored on May 3 as a recipient of the NCAA’s Public Recognition Award for scoring in the top 10 percent nationally in Academic Progress Rates (APR) from 2012-13 to 2015-16.
Prior to his time at SMU, Spencer was the head coach at the University of Maryland from 2009-12, where he worked with Yow during her tenure in College Park. He was voted the 2012 Wilson/ITA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year and led the Terrapins to a host of firsts, including their first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history during the 2010-11 season, and their first NCAA Tournament victory (over No. 20 Michigan).
Spencer’s 2011 and 2012 squads won the President’s Cup at Maryland, honoring the program with the highest team GPA.
He was an assistant coach at Baylor University from 2006-09, earning three straight Big XII conference championships and was recognized as ITA National Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2009 for his efforts. During his time at Baylor, he also helped lead the Bears to a 2007 NCAA Final Four appearance, as well as Elite 8 appearances in both 2008 and 2009.
He began his college coaching career as an assistant coach at the University of Southern California (USC) from 2003-05, where he assisted the Trojans in reaching the 2004 Final Four.
Spencer has also coached a number of professional players, including Cecil Mamiit (ATP career high No. 72, Robert Kendrick (ATP career high No. 77) and Ashley Fisher (ATP career high No. 20 in doubles).
As a player, Spencer won seven professional titles on the ATP Tour and reached the ATP Tour final in Newport, Rhode Island. He represented his native Great Britain in doubles at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and he was a four-time main draw participant at Wimbledon. An All-American and an Academic All-Pac 10 Team member while a player at USC, Spencer finished the 1997 collegiate season at No. 1 in the ITA doubles ranking, reaching the NCAA National Championship match.
Spencer is married to the former Kacie Arnold. The couple has a son, Max.
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