Women's Tennis | 8/22/2025 8:42:00 AM

MIAMI SHORES, Fla.— Barry University director of tennis, Avi Kigel, announced the promotion of Buccaneer women's tennis volunteer coach, Nanda Alves, back to associate head coach..

"We are very happy and grateful to have this position and be able to have Nanda come on board full-time. We have a great history with her and she has been very helpful to our success," Kigel said. "I am happy to have her back on the staff."

Alves previously held the same title for the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Barry. Alves spent six years with the Bucs before departing to the University of Miami as an assistant coach in the fall of 2024. The veteran coach came back to Barry in the spring 2025 season and helped guide the Buccaneers to their seventh national championship in last eight eligible years (no championship in 2020 due to COVID-19).

Since joining the Buccaneer staff in 2018, Alves has helped bring five national championships to The Shores, coached three time National Player of the Year Deniz Khazan, and collected 19 All-American honors for the program. She was also named the ITA South Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2021.

Prior to Barry, Alves had two NCAA Division I assistant coaching stints including stops at UC-Santa Barbara and at Texas A&M. With the Gauchos, Alves spent two seasons and tallied a 29-23 record with a 14-2 mark in the Big West. The team won their first Big West regular season title in school history in 2018. In 2015, the Aggies were ranked as high as No.10 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The team finished 17-6 and notched a 4-4 mark against top-10 opponents.

As a player, Alves won 21 professional singles titles and 57 doubles titles. She competed inn multiple qualifying rounds in singles and doubles at al four Grand Slams, including reaching the 2005 Australian Open main draw.

In addition to competing on the WTA Tour, Alves represented Brazil in the Federation Cup in singles and doubles from 2000 to 2011. Additionally, she competed in the 2003 Pan American Games, German Bundesliga and Brazilian Intercity Team Annual tournaments. She earned the Brazilian Tennis Federation honor for Best Women's Player in 2004, 2005, and 2007, as well as the Heart Award at the 2010 Federation Cup.