MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- Avi Kigel had to think about it for a minute.

"My heart is good," the Buccaneers 10-year women's tennis coach said.

That's a good thing because when the ticker is working right, it's always a good sign. For the past two years, the heart of NCAA Division II women's tennis has centered around Barry University. That's exactly the predicament the college tennis world finds itself in now as the No. 1-ranked Bucs prepare to leave for the desert this weekend in preparation for Tuesday's 3 p.m. ET Round of 16 match with 12th-ranked Drury at Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex in Surprise, Ariz.

Barry (24-0) is the top seed, while the Panthers (19-1) are not among the favorites. Yet, while the Bucs won last year's national championship  and have not lost since the end of the 2016 season, nothing is a certainty when it gets to this stage. After all, Drury hasn't lost in its last 10 matches, dating back to March 24. 

"We feel like it's in our hands," Kigel said, "but we know there are some very good teams out there that want to beat us. It's just going to come down to the team that wants it the most, and plays with the most heart."

Ahh, that ticker talk again.

Well, here's the rub in all of this: Yes, Barry has won its last 54 matches. Yes, the Bucs have claimed the last seven championships it has competed for -- two Sunshine State Conference regular season titles, two SSC Tournament championships, two region crowns and last year's national title. Yes, they have four-year senior Sonja Larsen, who's been ranked No. 1 in the country in singles and doubles this year.

But the Buccaneers have never won a national championship in their previous two trips to Surprise.

"Last time we were there, we got all the way to the final, and just came up short," Kigel said. "We haven't won it there yet, and it's been a challenge this year for us. That's why it would be even more special to win at a place we haven't so far."

Junior Verena Schmid, who along with Larsen shares the No. 1 doubles ranking and is ranked 34th in singles, is one of four active players back from last year's team. Sixty eighth-ranked Zuza Maciejewska, who for a portion of the spring shared a doubles ranking with newcomer Carolin Schmidt, is another championship returner. Senior Judith Bohnenkamp is the other.

"The girls that are back from last year are ready to defend their title," Kigel said. "For the new girls, they've been hearing about it. We have to see how they handle the pressure."

Julie Razafindranaly, Hannah Seizer and Carolin Schmidt, the challenge has been issued. Now it's up to you to decide what type of ending you want to write to this year's story.

"We're not thinking about history," Kigel said. "We're taking it step by step. We feel confident about our chances. This has been our main goal ... to defend our national championship."

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