Masaki Hemmi
Masaki Hemmi is a Japanese former footballer who is the head coach of Lexington SC.
Early life
Hemmi was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan and moved to Carlsbad, New Mexico when he was 16 years old. He played collegiate soccer at Colorado School of Mines for two seasons before transferring to the University of New Mexico in his junior year. After retiring from playing soccer, Hemmi returned to Colorado to finish his degree and began coaching a youth club, Real Colorado, in Denver.
Coaching career
In 2021, Hemmi worked one season as the associate head coach for INAC Kobe of the Japanese Professional Women's Soccer League in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics.
Hemmi served as first assistant coach and director of player personnel with the United Soccer League club New Mexico United. In 2023, Hemmi was announced the interim coach of the New Mexico United following the departure of then-head coach Zach Prince.
In January 2024, the Chicago Red Stars announced the hired Hemmi as an assistant coach under head coach Lorne Donaldson. In late April 2025, Hemmi became Chicago's interim head coach following the firing of Donaldson. In his first game in charge of the Stars, He piloted the team to a 0–0 draw with NJ/NY Gotham FC, snapping a two-game losing streak. Hemmi's tenure as interim coach lasted until July 1, 2025, at which point he left the position to pursue other opportunities.
Hemmi was named head coach for USL Super League club Lexington SC on July 3, 2025.
Lexington SC, 2025–
On 9 December 2025, Hemmi was reassigned to Lexington SC, as Kosuke Kimura was promoted to head coach of Lexington SC Women.