Norfolk State University Men's Tennis

Norfolk State Athletics announced Peter Banas as the head coach of men’s and women’s tennis on Feb. 25, 2022.   Banas comes to NSU after spending over four years with Fordham University's women's tennis program, where he served as an assistant coach from 2017-19 and the associate head coach from 2019-21. He was also a part of the Sacred Heart University coaching staff for one year in 2016.    While at Fordham, Banas handled important recruiting duties to bring prospective student athletes to the program, including scouting national and international tournaments. In 2019, he helped the Rams bring in two four-star recruits according to TennisRecruiting.net, the highest-ranked class in the Atlantic 10.   As an assistant coach for Sacred Heart, Banas ran women's and men's team practices and performed major recruiting duties. He prepared the schedules for the fall and spring seasons and organized pro-am tennis tournaments in Fairfield County. Before joining the staff at Sacred Heart, Banas served as head tennis professional at the John McEnroe Tennis Academy from 2015 to 2017. During his time with the academy, Banas coached and advised Wimbledon finalist Agnieszka Radwanska (career-high No. 2 in WTA rankings), French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko (No. 5), Japan Open champion Christina McHale (No. 24), and Junior Wimbledon Champion Noah Rubin. He was also McEnroe's hitting partner during the latter's stint on the ATP Senior Tour.   Prior to entering the coaching realm, Banas enjoyed a decorated playing career at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Banas ranked among the top 25 of Division I players, earning All-America honors and eventually gaining points on the ATP singles and doubles tour. Banas graduated from UL Lafayette with a bachelor's degree in sports management in 2010 and completed his MBA in 2015.  

Ernest Barrett enters his fifth season as associate head coach for the Norfolk State men's and women's track and field programs in 2026-27. In 2025-26, Barrett helped guide the Spartans to a sweep of the MEAC men's cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field championships. He also assisted the women's program to runner-up finishes at the MEAC Cross Country and Indoor Track and Field Championships before a third-place finish at the MEAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The Spartans produced seven individual MEAC indoor champions and eight individual MEAC outdoor champions during the 2025-26 campaign. Norfolk State also qualified four athletes for the NCAA East First Round. Barrett helped coach MEAC Cross Country individual champion Lewis Too, MEAC Indoor Most Outstanding Runner Daniel Mathenge, and MEAC Outdoor Most Outstanding Field Athlete Kristopher Stephens. During the 2024-25 season, Barrett helped lead the men's team to a sweep of the MEAC cross country, indoor, and outdoor championships. He also played a key role in guiding the women's team to a MEAC cross country title and runner-up finishes during both the indoor and outdoor seasons. Under Barrett's guidance in 2024-25, Norfolk State produced USTFCCCA All-America Indoor Second Team selection Kendrick Winfield, along with 11 individual MEAC indoor champions and 10 individual MEAC outdoor champions. The Spartans also qualified six athletes for the NCAA East First Round. Widely regarded as one of the nation's top coaches, Barrett arrived at Norfolk State after four seasons at North Carolina A&T. While with the Aggies, he coached the men's and women's cross-country programs and oversaw the distance and middle-distance athletes for the indoor and outdoor track and field teams. Prior to North Carolina A&T, Barrett spent 18 years leading the men's and women's cross country and track and field programs at Maryland Eastern Shore and five years as head coach at Coppin State. Throughout his distinguished coaching career, Barrett has mentored 81 NCAA Preliminary Round qualifiers, 42 NCAA Championship qualifiers, 19 Olympic Trials qualifiers, 10 NCAA All-Americans, four World Championships participants, four Olympians, one world record holder, and one indoor world champion. He has also coached numerous IC4A, ECAC, and MEAC champions. Among his most accomplished athletes was Maryland Eastern Shore's Khalil Rmidi Kinni, who earned MEAC Outdoor Track Most Valuable Performer honors three consecutive years (2014-16) and collected nine MEAC MVP awards across cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field during his career. Barrett's tenure at Maryland Eastern Shore included four men's and four women's MEAC cross country championships, along with three MEAC women's track and field championships (two indoor and one outdoor). He earned MEAC Outstanding Coach of the Year honors 11 times. At Coppin State, Barrett coached three NCAA All-Americans in the 800 meters — Diana Pitts (1994), Twana Allen (1996), and Ian Roberts (1997). He also coached three USA Track and Field Championship participants, two Olympic Trials qualifiers, two World Indoor Championships participants, and world champion Damion Johnson, who was a member of the 4x400-meter relay team that set a world record in 1999. Barrett began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant coach at Coppin State before being promoted to head coach. Prior to entering the collegiate ranks, he served as head track and field coach at Falls Church High School in Virginia. A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Barrett was an accomplished athlete. He qualified for the Olympic Trials and earned seven All-America honors in the 800 meters, 4x800-meter relay, and 4x400-meter relay. Barrett was a member of the world-record-setting 4x800-meter relay team that ran 7:17.77 in 1989. Barrett earned a bachelor's degree in community health education from George Mason University in 1991. He is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Barrett and his wife have two daughters, Tasia and Kristen.

Brian Triolet enters his third season as an assistant coach for the Norfolk State track and field program in 2026-27, working primarily with the Spartans' pole vaulters. During his second season, Triolet helped lead the men's team to MEAC indoor and outdoor championships. The women's squad finished runner-up at the MEAC Indoor Championships and placed third at the MEAC Outdoor Championships. Under his guidance, Landon Walker earned silver medals in the pole vault at both the MEAC Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Lexa Hunter captured a silver medal at the MEAC Outdoor Championships, while Emma Svetiev claimed silver at the MEAC Indoor Championships. In his first season with the Spartans, Triolet helped guide the men's team to MEAC indoor and outdoor titles, while the women's squad earned runner-up finishes during both championship meets. Triolet coached D'Nysha Brightful to a school-record performance in the pole vault during the outdoor season and a MEAC individual championship. He also mentored four additional medalists across the indoor and outdoor campaigns. Triolet arrived at Norfolk State with 17 years of coaching experience, specializing in pole vault. Throughout his coaching career, he has developed multiple district and conference champions, including the boys' and girls' Beach District indoor and outdoor record holders. He has also coached numerous state qualifiers and state champions.   A volunteer pole vault coach at Norfolk State since 2009, Triolet previously mentored former Spartan school-record holder Brett Dodd. Triolet holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Old Dominion University.