TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — After a successful season as the volunteer assistant coach, Nick Lucena has been named Florida State Beach Volleyball’s assistant coach.
The Florida State alum helped the Seminoles reach the national championship match for the third time in school history and earn their sixth-straight CCSA Conference Championship.
In partnership with head coach Brooke Niles and assistant Summer Nash, Lucena led the team to a 33-11 record including 24 ranked wins, 13 of which were against top-10 teams. In the final AVCA poll, the Seminoles earned their highest ranking of the season at the No. 2 spot.
Beyond coaching, Lucena has a professional career worth bragging about. Lucena has competed in the Olympics twice, most recently at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo as well as a fifth-place finish at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Lucena competed with partner Phil Dalhausser in both Olympic runs. In 2016, the pair qualified as third seeds and went undefeated in pool play before being eliminated by the eventual Gold Medalists from Brazil. In 2020, the pair qualified as ninth seeds and went 2-1 in pool play.
In the professional circuit, Lucena is a force to be reckoned with. Lucena has accrued 16 AVP Tournament wins and nine FIVB Tournament wins. He was named Best Defensive Player in 2017 by volleyballmag.com and named AVP Team of the Year with partner Dalhausser the same year. In 2015, Lucena was named to USAV Beach Team of the Year with Dalhausser as well as USAV Men’s Beach Player of the Year. He is a two-time AVP Defensive Player of the Year, earning the title in 2014 and 2008. Lucena also earned AVP Most Improved Player in 2008.
Outside playing and coaching beach volleyball, Lucena is a father of three to Gunnar, Cole, and Ryder with his wife, Brooke Niles. Lucena graduated from Florida State University in 2003 with a degree in Sport Management.
