Avraham Kigel

Avi Kigel took over the reins of the Buccaneer women's tennis program for the 2009 season and has turned it into the premier program in NCAA Division II.

Entering the 2023 dual season, Kigel owns a 330-24 overall record with a school-record seven NCAA Division II Championships. including the last five in a row, breaking the Division II record previously held by Southern Illinois-Edwardsville (1986-89). Kigel, who once served as an assistant coach for Barry, took over in the fall of 2008 for Dr. George Samuel, who served as head coach for the men’s and women’s programs for 17 years.

In 2022, the Buccaneers won their fifth straight NCAA Division II National Championship, breaking the D-II record. The Bucs also won the ITA Indoor title, the Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament championships and the NCAA South Region title as they went 28-0, for their fifth undefeated season in six year. Deniz Khazan was again the Women's Sports Foundations' D-II tennis player of the year and a finalist for the Honda Athlete of the Year. She and Madeline Bosnjak earned another doubles award, while Engelmann was on the singles list for the third straight year and Daniela Farfan and Kim Moosbacher picked up a doubles award.

Barry claimed their sixth overall and fourth straight national title in 2021. The Bucs went 15-0 and won the Sunshine State Conference regular season and tournament championships, the NCAA South Regional and the national championship for the fourth straight time. Khazan picked up a raft of awards, including the Sunshine State Conference Female Athlete of the Year and the Women's Sports Foundations' D-II tennis player of the year. She was joined on the ITA All-America list by Engelmann, who took home a singles award, and Bosnjak, who combined with Khazan for a doubles award.

Barry was cruising to another top ranking in 2020 when the season was cut short by the CoVID-19 pandemic. The Bucs won all 13 of the matches and captured the inaugural ITA Indoor championship. The NCAA Tournament was canceled, so the Bucs did not have the chance to win another title. Engelmann and Julie Razafindranaly were named ITA singles All-Americans and Razafindranaly was selected as the Barry Female Athlete of the Year.

The Bucs made it three in a row in 2019, capturing the program's fifth national championship and third in a row. The three straight titles tied Armstrong (2008-10), BYU-Hawai'i (2002-04) and Chattanooga (1983-85) for the second-most consecutive women's tennis titles in Division II. SIU-Edwardsville (1986-89) has the record with four straight. Although the team saw its 69-match winning streak snapped, the Bucs rolled into the NCAA Tournament as the top seed and went unbeaten to claim the title. The Bucs went 26-2 and avenged an earlier season loss to arch-rival Lynn by beating the Knights 4-2 for the national championship. The Bucs did all that without an All-American singles player, the first time since 2013 that the Bucs did not have a player in the Top-20 of the ITA rankings. Verena Schmid and Zuza Maciejewska combined for an All-America award in doubles after claiming the Oracle Cup title in the fall.

In 2018, Kigel was named the Professional Tennis Registry College Coach of the Year for his efforts following the 2017 national championship season. It was his third national coaching honor. Later that season, Kigel steered Barry to its second straight national championship after repeating as South Region, Sunshine State Conference Tournament and SSC regular season champions. The Buccaneers went 28-0 to extend their winning streak to 58 consecutive matches. The Bucs beat West Florida, 5-0, in Surprise, Ariz., to capture the national title. Sonja Larsen and Schmid earned All-America honors in both singles and doubles, and were the No. 1-ranked doubles team to end the season. Larsen became the first player in the program's history to hold down the No. 1 ranking in singles and doubles in the same season. She also was Barry's first Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II Fall singles champion.

In 2017, Kigel coached the Buccaneers to a 30-0 record and his third NCAA Championship. Barry beat Lynn, 5-0, in the national championship match in Altamonte Springs, Fla. The Bucs won the SSC regular season and league postseason tournament titles, in addition to capturing the South Region championship. The women's tennis team became the first sport at Barry University to go undefeated with 30 wins. Kigel coached four All-Americans in 2017, including Ana Pain, Sonja Larsen, Zuza Maciejewska and Dasha Salnikova. Larsen was named the ITA South Region Player to Watch, while Verena Schmid was named the ITA South Region Rookie of the Year. Karina Goia was named a Second Team Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Larsen set a school record, going 28-0 in singles. Maciejewska set a school record with 27 doubles victories. Kigel was named the ITA's South Region Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career.

In 2016, the Buccaneers went 18-4, advancing to the finals of the Sunshine State Conference Tournament and NCAA South Regional. Barry finished the year with a No. 6 national ranking, and were third in the SSC regular season. Emma Onila was named the ITA Senior Player of the Year.

In 2015, Barry went 24-2, finishing as the national runner-up under Kigel. His team fell to Armstrong Atlantic, 5-2, in the title match. The Buccaneers were ranked No. 2 in the nation, and beat No. 3 BYU-Hawai'i, 5-0, in the semifinals. The Bucs repeated as SSC regular season champs, and won the SSC Tournament for a sixth straight year. Barry opened the season ranked No. 1 in the country for the first time in school history, and went 12-0 at Buccaneer Tennis Center, 7-0 on the road and 5-2 in neutral site matches. Kigel was named the SSC Coach of the Year for a record sixth straight time.

In 2014, Kigel coached the Buccaneers to his second national championship. The Bucs went 29-1, beating Armstrong Atlantic, 5-4, for the title. He was named the ITA National Coach of the Year for the second time in his career. He also was named the SSC Coach of the Year after capturing the fifth consecutive postseason tournament championship and first regular season title in league history. Additionally, he was named the ITA South Region Coach of the Year for the second straight season.

In 2013, Kigel's team went 27-1 as the Buccaneers completed their second straight undefeated regular season. Barry ended No. 1 Armstrong Atlantic's 43-match win streak, captured their fourth straight SSC Tournament championship, and advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals before bowing out to eventual champ Armstrong Atlantic, 5-3. Barry rose to No. 1 in the national rankings for the first time in school history before the NCAA Championships. Kigel was named the ITA South Region Coach of the Year.

In 2012, Kigel led the Bucs to a 26-1 mark, going unbeaten in the regular season. The Bucs advanced to the NCAA semifinals before falling to eventual champ Armstrong Atlantic, 5-2. Barry won the SSC Tournament title for the third straight year.

In only his third season at the helm of Barry women’s tennis program, Kigel put the Buccaneers in the national spotlight in 2011 with a near-perfect 26-1 record and the school’s first NCAA women’s tennis national championship. The team’s only loss on the season came in conference play at the hands of No. 3 Lynn University, whom Barry would ultimately defeat in the SSC Final and NCAA Championship. In the national championship, the Bucs trailed 2-1 after doubles play, but were dominant in singles to secure the 5-3 win over the Knights. For his efforts, Kigel was named ITA National Coach of the Year. He was also voted SSC Coach of the Year for the second straight season. His top player, Barbi Pocza, was named the ITA Division II National Player of the Year.

In 2009-10, Kigel continued moving the women in the right direction with a 24-4 overall record and a perfect 8-0 mark in the Sunshine State Conference. The Bucs breezed through the SSC tournament and the Division II South Regional Tournament, qualifying for the national tournament for the 17^th time. The Buccaneers peaked at No. 3 in the country as three players earned ITA All-American honors. Barbra Pocza and Angie Werschel claimed singles honors, while Yulia Kashelkina joined Pocza in earning doubles accolades. In addition, Kigel was named South Region Coach of the Year and SSC Coach of the Year.

In his first year, Kigel’s team boasted a No. 21 ranking at the beginning of the 2009 season. The team posted a 17-8 record, and lost in the regional finals.

Kigel came to Barry after four years as an assistant coach at Davidson College in Davidson, N.C. While at Davidson, Kigel helped lead the Wildcats to a 73-32 mark, including a 33-7 record in the Southern Conference. With the help of Kigel, the Wildcats reached the Southern Conference tournament finals in 2005, 2006 and 2008.

Prior to Davidson, Kigel spent four seasons with the Bucs as an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s programs. During that first stint with the Buccaneers as an assistant, Barry strung together a 90-22 record and national semifinal appearances in three of the four years. The Bucs set a record in 2003 for wins in a season (27). In 2005, the Bucs were 23-3. In 2002, the Bucs won the SSC title and finished third at the NCAA Division II National Tournament. In 2003, they reached the national finals for the first time in program history.

Kigel was ranked 15th as a singles player in NCAA Division II, playing for Norfolk State University. As a freshman, Kigel was named Freshman of the Year in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. He helped NSU win the conference titles in 1995 and 1996, and was named Most Valuable Player both years. After his sophomore year, NSU moved to NCAA Division I and joined the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. During the Spartans’ first two years of MEAC competition, Kigel helped lead them to the semifinals of the conference tournament. As a junior, Kigel amassed a 41-10 record, largely over Division I opponents.

Kigel added to his collegiate success, playing in United States Tennis Association tournaments after graduation. In 2003, Kigel won the USTA Florida Section Men’s 30 Singles Tournament Championship, defeating his opponent, 6-1, 6-3. Kigel has been a member of the USTA since 2002. In addition to his USTA affiliation, Kigel has been a member of the United States Professional Tennis Registry since 2006.

Originally from Tel Aviv, Israel, he grew up playing tennis since age four. Kigel was ranked as high as sixth in Israel as a junior, and was a member of the Israeli Junior National Team.

Kigel received a bachelor of science degree in 1999 from Norfolk State in health and fitness and a master’s degree in exercise science from Barry in 2004.

He is married to Naama Kigel. The couple have a son, Ori, and live in Miami Shores.