Millikin Athletics
Official Home of Millikin Big Blue Athletics
Connor Barnard will enter his 2nd year as Millikin’s Director of Tennis in the fall of 2026. Barnard joined the Big Blue in July of 2025.
In his first year, the men’s team went 14-9 earning a trip to the CCIW Men’s Tournament. The women’s team went 2-14 with victories over Webster University and conference opponent Elmhurst.
Prior to joining the staff at Millikin, Barnard served as the Assistant Women’s Tennis Coach at the University of Texas at San Antonio during the 2024-2025 season. During that season he helped lead the program to its best start in history at 13-0 and its’ highest national ranking at #44.
2022-2024 would find Barnard at Wichita State University as the Men’s Tennis Assistant Coach where he recruited AAC Freshman of the Year Alejandro Jacome. During his time there, they would defeat nationally ranked SMU, Nebraska, USF, and Denver. Coach Barnard would also lead Krištof Minárik to the ITA Central Regional Final in 2023.
2021-2022 saw Barnard at the University of Texas at San Antonio as the Assistant Men’s Tennis Coach. Barnard would help lead UTSA to a season high 66th ranking in the country, as well as coach ATP #322 Tiago Torres.
Barnard, a graduate of Wartburg College with a degree in Sports Management with a minor in Leadership and Business Management. Barnard was no stranger to the court as he took home Wartburg College Men’s Tennis MVP in 2016, serving as captain during the 2017-2018 season. Coach Barnard also earned All-Iowa Conference Men’s Tennis selections in singles in 2018 and doubles in 2016-2018. He received his Master of Science in Kinesiology and Sport Performance in 2020.
Barnard resides in Decatur with his significant other Emma and their dog, Ava. He has one brother, Chris, who resides in Wichita, KS, and his parents, Mark and Ann, who are living in Cedar Falls, IA.
