Barry University tennis teams each secure national championships

Walter Villa
·4 min read

The Barry University women’s tennis team needed a major overhaul.

The Barry University men’s tennis team needed to stay the course.

Both squads did what has become expected of them – win national championships.

The Barry women won their sixth straight national title. Their eight national titles overall – all under coach Avi Kigel -- are an NCAA Division II record, tying Armstrong Atlantic, which disbanded its athletic program in 2017.

Kigel’s team has won a program-record 90 straight matches, going undefeated since April 27, 2019.

This season, Barry went 28-0, beating local rival Nova Southeastern University, 4-1, in the national final. Capturing this latest title was not easy considering Kigel lost five of his top eight players from the 2022 team.

“Those were five big-time players,” Kigel said. “We were pretty much a new team this year. We knew we weren’t going to have the same talent, but we had to get the most out of each player so that they could be grounded and perform at their best under the highest pressure.”

Kigel said the chemistry on the 2022 team “was not great”, but that team was so good that they won anyway.

“Day to day, we had a lot of issues last year,” Kigel said. “But on game day, they were very professional.

“This year, our chemistry was amazing. This team was a lot of fun. The new girls brought in new energy, and everyone bought in to the team concept.”

In the national final, NSU took the doubles point, but Barry won at No. 1 singles (Deniz Khazan); No. 2 singles (Dinara Alloiarova); No. 5 (Selina Pichler); and No. 6 (Clara Versier).

Barry’s No. 3 singles player, Daniela Farfan, was leading 3-2 in the decisive third set when the match was stopped because the Bucs had enough to win the championship. Barry’s No. 4 singles player, Xiyao Wang, was trailing, 1-0, in the third set.

Barry University women’s tennis player Daniel Farfan, the Bucs’ No. 3 singles player, was integral part of their unbeaten season and run to a national championship. Courtesy of Barry University
Barry University women’s tennis player Daniel Farfan, the Bucs’ No. 3 singles player, was integral part of their unbeaten season and run to a national championship. Courtesy of Barry University

Ironically, NSU’s top singles player was Julie Razafindranaly, who won three national titles while playing for Barry. But Khazan dominated her in the final, 6-2, 6-1.

Pichler clinched the win at No. 5 singles, and Kigel called Versier the best No. 6 player in the nation.

“Selina played No. 8, No. 9 or 10 the past three years,” Kigel said. “That’s how deep we were.”

Meanwhile, the Barry men won the national title by beating fourth-seeded Columbus State, 4-2.

Barry’s third-seeded men’s team wasn’t as dominant as its women’s squad, finishing with a 25-5 record.

In the final, Barry lost the doubles point but got singles wins at No. 2 (Alejandro Palacios); No. 3 (Alessandro Giuliato); No. 4 (Amau Rodriguez); and No. 6 (Tim Buttner).

Alejandro Palacios, Barry University’s No. 2 singles player, scored a key win for the Bucs on their way to securing a national championship. Courtesy of Barry University
Alejandro Palacios, Barry University’s No. 2 singles player, scored a key win for the Bucs on their way to securing a national championship. Courtesy of Barry University

The match of No. 1 singles player Alejandro Ibanez Gallego was tied 4-4 in the third set when it was stopped. Barry also lost at No. 5 with David Rieme.

“For the first 90 minutes, we didn’t look good,” Barry coach Thomas Hipp said. “Columbus State won the first four sets in singles. They had more energy.

“But then the momentum shifted, and we bounced back.”

In the end, the Barry men won their seventh national title, including four in a row overall and two straight since Hipp was hired as coach. He replaced Dr. George Samuel, who retired.

Hipp was a three-time All-American player for Barry from 2003 to 2006. He was Samuel’s graduate assistant coach from 2006 to 2011, and he was Barry’s first full-time assistant from 2011 to 2013.

Now, he’s 2-for-2 as a head coach winning national titles, although it hasn’t been as easy as it sounds.

“Last year, I had to get to know the players,” Hipp said. “This year, I knew which players were technical, which were tactical and which ones were emotional and needed to be calmed down at times.”

Hipp said his squad struggled some this year in part because they wore the metaphorical bullseye for every top squad in the nation.

“The regular season was not that interesting to our guys,” Hipp said. “I wish that wouldn’t be the case, but our guys thrive in the postseason. You can see it in their eyes just before the playoffs start. They’re more focused.

“Other teams, meanwhile, went so hard in the regular season that they are physically and emotionally spent by the playoffs.”