Barry University Athletics

As Bill Sullivan begins his 14^th season at the helm of the women’s basketball team, he has compiled a 197-173 overall mark and 98-114 record in the Sunshine State Conference. Just the fifth head coach in 29 years, he is the longest tenured coach in program history. Overall, he is in his 20^th season with the Bucs, having spent seven years as an assistant in the men’s program under long-time coach Cesar Odio.

The Bucs went 10-19 in 2018-19, 7-13 in the SSC. Ida Andersson was named to the Second-Team All-Conference after setting the school record with 80 made three-pointers on the season. Transfer guard Nichel Tampa, daughter of Barry men's basketball standout Marcus Tampa, was named to the All-Newcomer Team after leading the team in scoring and league in steals.

The Bucs completed the best one-year turn around in NCAA Division II in 2017-18, improving by 14 wins. Palmer, who led the league in rebounding and field goal shooting for the second straight season, was named First-Team All-SSC.

Though the Bucs suffered through an injury-plagued campaign in 2016-17, Kiara Palmer led the league in rebounding and field goal shooting and was second in scoring to earn a spot on the SSC All-Newcomer Team.

In 2015-16, the Bucs went 19-9, marking the best winning percentage under Sullivan and fourth-best in program history. Amra Elezovic was named first-team All-SSC after leading the league in scoring and setting Barry records for free throw percentage for a season (90.2) and career (85.0). Jackie Perez became just the seventh player to score over 1000 points during her career, finishing with 1,001 in 111 games. She also set the Barry record for made three-pointers (229), and ranked fourth all-time in SSC history as well. Perez and Ines Kerin, who was a second-team All-SSC pick, both earned Academic All-District honors.

In 2014-15, the team went 15-16, matching the most games played in a season (tying 1996-97 and 2009-10). The team reached the finals of the Sunshine State Conference Tournament for just the second time.

The Bucs were 16-11 and 8-8 in the SSC in 2013-14. Tyler Hardy was named the SSC Player of the Year and an All-American by Women's Division II Bulletin.

Barry went 15-13 in 2012-13, the fifth winning season under Sullivan in seven years. Tyler Hardy made the Sunshine State Conference All-Newcomer team.

In 2011-12, the Bucs went 18-9 and tied for the Sunshine State Conference regular season title with Rollins and Florida Southern at 12-4. Danielle DeBerry was named to the All-SSC second team, while newcomer Alexandria Zamora was named to the All-Newcomer squad.

In 2010-11, the Bucs went 12-15 and ranked 14^th in Division II in scoring defense, allowing just 55.4 points per game. Yvonne Houston had a break-out season as a junior, earning Second-Team All-SSC.

The Bucs reached new heights in 2009-10, advancing to the SSC Championship game for the first time since 1990-91, and earning the program's third NCAA Tournament bid. The Bucs ranked in the top-20 defensively, allowing just 55.6 points per game and holding the opposition to 36.0 percent field goal shooting.

Mariesa Greene, the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year after leading the league in scoring, rebounding and shooting, became the first Buc to earn first-team All-America honors from Daktronics, Inc., as selected by D2SIDA (NCAA Division II Sports Information Directors).

In 2008-09, Sullivan and staff continued the improvement of the women's program, leading the Bucs to a 15-13 overall mark. The Bucs opened the season going 12-2, and attained a #13 ranking in the USA TODAY ESPN Division II Top 25 Coaches’ Poll.

In 2007-08, Sullivan led the squad to a four-game increase from the previous year and eight games over 2005-06. The Bucs once again went 8-8 in the SSC, but improved to fourth place in the regular season. After beating Lynn for the second straight year in the conference quarterfinals, the Bucs bowed out in the semifinals against #1 seed and eventual champions Nova Southeastern 47-43.

Princess Bailey was a second-team all-league pick for the second straight year, while Christina Thompson set a school record with 67 three-point field goals.

In his first season as head coach, Sullivan brought the Bucs out of a losing record from the previous year, and bumped them up one notch from the previous year’s sixth rank in the SSC. Overall, the Bucs made a five-game improvement under Sullivan. And for another consecutive year, Sullivan led the women’s team into the semi-finals of the SSC tournament, where they fell to #1 Rollins after a long battle.

During his seven-year tenure as the associate head coach at Barry in the men’s program, he was primarily responsible for the Bucs’ offensive game plan. He has also helped Odio in guiding the men’s program to two SSC tournament finals in 2001 and 2006 as well as the program’s first NCAA tournament appearance in 2005.

Sullivan came to Barry after spending two seasons as the head coach at neighboring St. Thomas University. Both years at St. Thomas, Sullivan’s teams played in the conference title game losing to Embry-Riddle by a combined seven points on their home court in Daytona Beach, Fla. In his last season at STU, his Bobcats upset NAIA powerhouse Life University, who went on to win the NAIA Division I championship, by seven points.

Prior to St. Thomas, Sullivan served as the head coach at Miami-Dade Community College in Kendall for one season. He led the Jaguars to a 16-12 overall mark as well as the conference championship. Sullivan was named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year after taking his team to quarterfinals of the Florida Community College/NJCAA Region VIII tournament.

Before joining the collegiate ranks, Sullivan served as the boy’s head coach at Coral Gables High for 15 years. While at CGHS, he led his team to four district titles, three district runner-ups and a sub-regional championship. With the Cavaliers, he was selected to coach the Dade County South All-Stars four times and the Dade County Superintendent’s All-Stars once and earned county Coach of the Year honors from the Miami News in 1985.

While at Coral Gables, Sullivan also served as the head coach for the girls’ golf program where he led the team to the GMAC, District and Regional championships and was selected as Dade County’s 2005 Girls’ Golf Coach of the Year by the Miami Herald.

Sullivan’s first head coaching position began at Southwest Miami High where he spent two seasons. He was the Dade County Coach of the Year in 1979-80, his first season of coaching, selected by the Miami News as voted by area coaches and members of the media.

In his 17 years as a high school head coach, he posted a 300-202 career record. He began his coaching career at Miami Edison High where he guided the junior varsity team to a 19-4 record in one season.

A native of Louisville, Ky., Sullivan received his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Georgetown College in 1973 and his master’s degree in educational technology from Nova Southeastern in 2000. He and his wife Debra (Fairfax, Va.) have two daughters: Nikki and Amber.

Sullivan enjoys working with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), and he and his wife have been active members in their church, serving in the children’s and youth ministries.