Lyle Stickney, Barton Tennis Head Coach

Bio

Former Cougar tennis player Lyle Stickney is in his 15th season leading the Barton tennis program.

While at Barton, Stickney’s men have qualified for the national tournament seven times (’14, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’21, ’22, ’23), including inside the top eight the past three seasons with 4th placing coming two years ago concluding the 2022 season. Also leading the women’s team, the Lady Cougars have made eight straight national tournaments, nine under his leadership (2013, ‘15, ‘16, ‘17, ‘18, ’19, ’21, ’22, and ’23) with a best placing of 7th in the 2020-21 season. *2020 was the Covid shortened season leaving the women ranked 10th and the men 8th.

Coaching awards included the 2019 Wilson ITA Women's District III Coach of the Year and the 2021 Herschel Stephens Coaching Award for outstanding service and dedication to the NJCAA Tennis Coaches’ Association.

Last season, the Cougars were ranked 7th in the nation heading to the national tournament, compiling a 14-10 record during the season ending tournament to place 8th overall.

In the classroom, Stickney’s Cougars were also strong accumulating a Department, men’s leading 3.44 overall team GPA to additionally place 15th out of 28 teams nationally over the 3.0 threshold.

Stickney entered the coaching ranks at Ellinwood High School, leading the girls program since 1989 and formerly headed the boys program from 1995-2009. During this run Stickney had 57 boys and 84 girls qualify for the state tournaments, with four regional titles and six top-5 state finishes on the boys side (three team runners-up) and six regional titles and seven top-5 placings for the girls. In 2011 his Lady Eagles captured the Class 3-2-1A Team Championship. Additionally, Stickney was twice named 3A Coach of the Year.

An Ellinwood, Kansas, native, Stickney continued his playing career at Fort Hays State University, graduating with a Business Administration bachelor’s degree in 1984.