Methodist University Athletics

A native of Fayetteville, N.C., Francie Barragan took over as the women’s head tennis coach at Methodist for the 2005-06 season.  In nine seasons at the helm, Barragan has led the Monarchs to a 185-34 record with eight regular season conference championships and seven conference tournament championships. The team has made NCAA Tournament appearances seven of the past nine years. Barragan aims to continue the Monarch tradition that has produced 21 USA South Athletic Conference championships.

The Monarchs have won at least 20 matches each of the last five seasons, including a 22-3 mark in 2014. The team had a record-setting season in 2011 earning another sweep of conference titles and recording a school-record 25 consecutive wins. Barragan has been named USA South Coach of the Year seven of the past eight years. The Thomas R. and Elizabeth E. McLean Foundation named Barragan the innaugural Methodist University Coach of the Year in 2009.

Barragan grew up in Fayetteville and was a prep standout at Fayetteville’s Terry Sanford High School, where she played on three state championship squads. She was ranked as high as #6 in the Southern Section and #90 nationally in USTA competition as a junior.

Barragan played her collegiate tennis at North Carolina State University from 1996-2000. In her career at N.C. State, Barragan helped lead the Wolfpack to a third-place finish in the ACC and a berth in the NCAA Division I National Tournament in 1998. Individually, Barragan played as high as No. 1 singles and doubles for the Wolfpack, served as a team captain and was elected to the Dean’s List all four years at N.C. State. Her best season was a 16-8 mark in singles as a sophomore.

Barragan earned her Bachelor of Science degree in business management from N.C. State in 2000, and her Master’s degree in parks, recreation and tourism management from N.C. State in 2001. While in graduate school, Barragan served as the assistant coach for NC State.

After graduate school, Barragan worked as the Community Development Coordinator for the United States Tennis Association (USTA)/North Carolina. Barragan now serves as a member of the Board of Directors for USTA/North Carolina and the Cape Fear Regional Tennis Foundation. She has been a certified tennis pro by the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) since 2002 and was named PTR Member of the Year for North Carolina in 2012. Barragan graduated from the NCAA Women's Coaches Academy in 2013.