THE OFFICIAL ATHLETICS SITE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-WHITEWATER

Frank Barnes took over as the men's tennis head coach in 2002 and the women's head tennis coach in 2003. Since his hiring, he has helped lead both teams to unprecedented success during his tenure at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Each team boasts one of the toughest Division III schedules in the Midwest, playing several Division I and Division II schools along with many of the top Division III schools in the region. Barnes has also hit the recruiting trail hard. With many talented players and UW-Whitewater's intense tennis training, the Warhawk tennis teams have continued to ascend in the national rankings. Both teams have held ITA rankings in 17 of the last 18 seasons with Barnes at the helm and have evolved into teams on the national scene. Each team is now consistently receiving national team rankings and have individuals ranked as singles and doubles players. UW-Whitewater has also had 31 All-American performances under Barnes.

Both programs have recently experienced some of the best years in school history. 

The men's team has not lost a match against against Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference/New Jersey Athletic Conference West Division teams since 2010 and have been the top ranked conference team in each of those seasons. The Warhawks have earned 15 berths to the NCAA Tournament over the last 18 years, reaching the Round of 16 in 2007, 2011, 2016, 2022, and 2024. 

The women's team completed another banner year and has claimed 18 straight WIAC titles, twelve 20-win seasons in the last 17 years and 14 straight trips to the NCAA Tournament, qualifying for the Round of 16 in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2018. The women had a streak of over 130 dual matches against conference opponents (including postseason) during that stretch.

Each team has had multiple individuals qualify for the NCAA individual national championships and the ITA national championships recently, with 47 apperances in total. There has also been 31 All-American performances under Coach Barnes. 

Due to the recent success at UW-Whitewater and his commitment to growing the game of tennis in the Midwest section, Barnes has been honored with several awards.

In 2024, Coach Barnes was named the ITA National DIII Coach of the Year. Barnes led the men's team to the NCAA Regional Championship while the women won their 17th consecutive WIAC tournament.

Barnes was named 2016 Men's Wilson/ITA Central Region Coach of the Year. He was awarded the 2009 Professional Tennis Registry Wisconsin Member of the Year, and in 2010 was honored by the PTR again as the National College Coach of the Year, which covers all divisions. He is a nine-time WIAC Coach of the Year (2004, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2022). Barnes was tabbed the Midwest USTA/ITA Community and Campus Outreach Award winner in 2006 and 2012. He was also the recipient of the USTA Midwest WTA Rollie Mueller Presidents Award in 2006. In 2012, he was selected as the WIAC all-time coach in women’s tennis in conjunction with the WIAC Centennial Celebration. In 2023, Barnes earned his second straight New Jersey Athletic Conference West Division Coach of the Year honor in the men's program's third year as an affiliate member of the conference. Then in 2024, was the WIAC men's tennis Coach of the Year.

As a teaching professional, Barnes received K-Swiss national coach of the year honors in 2001 and 2002. 

Coach Barnes speaks regularly at tennis conventions around the Midwest. He has chaired the ITA Men’s Central Region Tennis Ranking Committee in the past and has served on the men's and women’s ITA and NCAA regional ranking committees. In addition, he served on the USTA/WTA collegiate and junior development committees and serves on both the men's and women's Midwest ITA regional tournament committees.

Barnes is also the director of the Warhawk Tennis Camps, one of the top summer tennis camp programs in the nation. 

During his 10 years as a tennis professional in Madison, Wis., Barnes was the director at Nakoma Country Club, growing it to the largest summer program in the area. He has his PTR certification and was a tennis professional at Cherokee Country Club during those years. He has actively competed in state- and regionally-sanctioned tournaments. Barnes was the founder and key organizer of Madison's all-city tennis tournament. 

Barnes started a PTR tennis certification program and a club team at UW-Whitewater, the first Division III school in the Midwest Section to offer a club team. He also serves as Wisconsin’s Junior District Cup (formerly Junior Davis Cup) coach for the boys/girls 12-and-under division. Barnes was a certified tester offering clinics for coaches interested in attaining their PTR tennis professional certifications.

Barnes stresses academic success as a part of the Warhawk tennis program. The men’s and women’s tennis teams at UW-Whitewater have been recognized consistently over the last decade as ITA All-Academic Teams. Approximately half of both teams have achieved ITA All Scholar Athlete status by posting grade point averages of 3.5 or higher on a consistent basis.

“I’ve been lucky enough to work with 71 Chancellor's Scholar-Athletes, 12 WIAC scholar athletes of the year and 11 Academic All-Americans during my time here," Barnes said. "The work they put in on and off the court is amazing, and I feel it’s been a privilege to work with such a talented group of young men and women. I hope by being a part of our program here they are able to become better prepared for the next chapter of their lives."

Barnes attended the University of Wisconsin, where he received his bachelor's in economics, statistics and actuarial science in 1989. He earned his master's in professional development with an emphasis in health, human performance, recreation and coaching from UW-Whitewater.

Barnes worked as an underwriter in Sheboygan, Wis., before returning to Madison, where he worked as an actuary for five years at CUNA Mutual Insurance. Barnes began coaching Madison West's boys and girls high school teams on the side until the head pro job opened up at Nakoma. He then made the full time transition to a teaching professional in 1998, and ended up taking the UW-Whitewater position four years later.

Barnes is married to Suzanne and they share their favorite pastime together--spending as much time they can with their daughters, Annie and Lucy.

Mailing Address:
Intercollegiate Athletics
Williams Center
UW-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI 53190