East Central Community College is excited to announce Dylan Barnett as the head men's and women's tennis coach beginning in January of 2023.  

Barnett, a Decatur native and Newton County High School graduate, played under coach Jay Pacelli for two seasons and helped lead the Warriors to the program's first-ever NJCAA Division I National Tournament qualification.  

Upon graduation from East Central, he continued his education at Florida Southern University where he served as a manager for the women's basketball team while pursuing a degree in sports business management.  

Throughout his playing career, Barnett has assisted in hosting and running tennis camps in the surrounding areas, and after graduating from Florida Southern, he was named assistant coach of both the men's and women's tennis programs at ECCC. As the assistant coach, he helped lead both the Warriors and Lady Warriors to undefeated fall scrimmage seasons. 

"We are pleased to introduce Dylan Barnett as our next Head Tennis Coach," said ECCC Director of Athletics Paul Nixon. "He has seen the ascent of the tennis programs into the national rankings, and he will take great pride in maintaining the excellent standards that have been established both on and off the court. He has developed great relationships with our current student-athletes, and he already has relationships developed with many of our prospects due to his ties with the local communities. We are committed to providing him with all the support he needs to successfully make the transition from assistant to head coach." 

"I could not be more excited to have this opportunity, to continue working with all of the great people at East Central, and with the special group of student-athletes within the tennis program," said Barnett. "Being from Decatur, and as a former member of the East Central tennis team, I have been fortunate enough to see how special East Central is. I would like to thank everyone at East Central for all of their support, and I would like to thank Dr. Gregory [East Central Community College President] and Mr. Nixon for allowing me this opportunity. I would also like to thank coach Jay Pacelli for his mentorship as a coach and look forward to building on the foundation he has laid for the Warrior tennis programs." 

Barnett currently resides in Decatur.