Intercollegiate Athletics
Michael L. Covone, M.S., Director of Athletics
Jamie Carrig, M.S., Associate Director of Athletics
Amanda Knight, M.S., Associate Director of Athletics/ SWA
Joey Capote, MBA, Associate Director of Athletics/ Development
Tara Davenport, M.Ed., Assistant Director of Athletics/ Compliance & Internal Operations
Frank Gonzalez, MBA, M.S., Assistant Athletic Director/ Academic Success
Mike Diaz, M.S., Assistant Director of Athletics/ Facilities and Event Operations
Eileen McDonough, Ed.D, Professor of Education, Faculty Athletics Representative
Mission and Purpose
The mission of intercollegiate athletics (ICA) department and its programs is to provide opportunities for those with outstanding athletic abilities to excel in intercollegiate sport participation while completing their degrees in higher education at Barry University. As the most visible and prestigious program combining academic and athletic excellence on campus, the ICA departmental mission is a vital part of overall student life at Barry University.
ICA fulfills its role within the mission of Barry University by complementing classroom instruction. Each sport program integrates body, mind, and spirit in healthy athletic competition that promulgates the university’s core commitments: teamwork, fair play, self-discipline, search for knowledge and truth through intercollegiate sport competition, and social justice involving experiences with team members of differing nationalities and ethnic backgrounds. A caring environment is provided by assuring the academic, physical, emotional, and social welfare of our student athletes through the leadership provided by a well-qualified teaching/professional staff, academic support services, comprehensive health care and coverage, and safe playing and practice conditions.
All athletic activities and events are actively published and promoted to also elicit involvement and support from the community. Additionally, ICA serves as a vehicle by which the university extends its presence in a variety of communities. Staff, coaches, and student athletes must, therefore, display a professional decorum suitable for very visible ambassadors of Barry University. Furthermore, the intercollegiate athletics program will be operated within strict adherence to the published rules of the NCAA and the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) in order to assure that the university’s status within the community always remains a positive one.
As an NCAA Division II member school, Barry University furthers the university’s commitment to excellence by providing a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that offers national recognition for student athletes. BarryU is the home to 24 NCAA National Championships and 93 Sunshine State Conference Championships. The ability of Barry’s female and male student-athletes to balance the demands of high level athletic participation and academic success ranks the university as one of the top academic/athletic institutions of its kind in the United States. The Barry University community is proud to currently boast a reported NCAA Academic Success rate of 92 percent.
To participate in intercollegiate athletics as an entering freshman with no previous full-time college attendance, the student athlete must be admitted to Barry University and must meet conference and NCAA eligibility requirements, including certification by the NCAA eligibility center. As of the fall 2021 academic year, initial eligibility requirements have been updated. Students are encouraged to review the Guide to the College Bound Student-Athlete on the NCAA website. The NCAA Guide to International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility contains the acceptable credentials applicable to foreign academic records that satisfy the graduation and core-curriculum requirements for initial eligibility specified in NCAA Bylaw 14.3.
All transfer students must meet the institution’s general admissions requirements, as well as NCAA and Sunshine State Conference transfer rules in order to practice and compete in intercollegiate athletics.
In order to maintain eligibility and continue participation, all student athletes are required by the NCAA to be in good standing with the university and, as per NCAA Bylaw 14.4, must be making satisfactory progress toward a Baccalaureate degree.
All student athletes must provide proof of adequate health insurance and pass the university’s medical clearance examination prior to participation in athletics. If proof of insurance is not presented, the student athlete will be issued student health insurance through the University and billed accordingly. Any eligible student may try out for any of the thirteen sports by contacting the appropriate head coach prior to the opening of the season.
BarryU Coaching Staff
Esports, Lance Hotchkiss, M.S.
Men’s
BASEBALL Juan Ranero, M.S.
BASKETBALL Butch Estes, M.S.
GOLF Jimmy Stobs, B.A.
SOCCER Steve McCrath, M.S.
TENNIS Thomas Hipp, MBA, M.S.
Women’s
BASKETBALL Kristina Baugh, M.S.
ROWING Nick Johnson, M.S.
GOLF Shannon Sykora, B.A.
SOCCER Tafadzwa Ziyenge, B.S.
SOFTBALL Sean Cotter, M.S.
TENNIS Avi Kigel, M.S.
VOLLEYBALL Steve Hendricks, M.S.