SALISBURY, Md. – After 26 years of leading the Salisbury University men's and women's tennis programs,
Randy Halfpap '97 has announced his retirement from the head coaching position. His final day with the university will be July 22.
"I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to play and coach tennis at Salisbury University," said Halfpap. "For 30 years, Salisbury University has been a huge part of my life. This is where I met my wife, raised my three children, met my closest friends, and had the opportunity to thank so many amazing people.
"A huge 'thank you' goes out to [Athletic Directors]
Dr. Michael Vienna,
Dr. Gerry DiBartolo, and
Monica Polizzi; the SU athletics support staff; fellow coaches; and my terrific assistant coaches over the past 26 seasons. I look forward to remaining in Salisbury and being a part of the next chapter for Salisbury University men's and women's tennis!"
A two-year tennis letterman and 1997 graduate of then-Salisbury State University, Halfpap returned to his alma mater in January 2000 and surpassed Salisbury Hall-of-Famer
Dean Burroughs as the program's longest-tenured head coach in 2021. He won a combined 589 dual matches across 26 seasons with both programs, going 298-192 with the men's team and 291-142 with the women's team. With Halfpap at the helm, the Sea Gull women won back-to-back Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) championships in 2002 and 2003 and qualified for four straight NCAA Tournaments (2001-04), while the Sea Gull men appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2000.
Halfpap coached six conference players of the year between the two programs, including men's star
Asher Willenborg to Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference (C2C) honors this past season; produced 433 all-conference recipients; and won CAC Coach of the Year eight times. Under Halfpap's watch, the Sea Gulls produced nine men's All-Americans and sent an individual or pair to the NCAA Men's Singles or Doubles Tournament on 11 occasions.
Five players to date who suited up for Halfpap have been inducted into the Salisbury University Athletics Hall of Fame:
Ben Madarang '00 (Class of 2010),
Amy Campion Cohen '03 (Class of 2013),
Scott Burtzlaff '10 (Class of 2022),
Evan Thomas '10 (Class of 2022), and
Brendan Kincaid '10 (Class of 2023).
"As Coach Halfpap retires, we extend our deepest gratitude for his years of extraordinary service, leadership, and dedication," said SU Director of Athletics and Campus Recreation
Monica Polizzi. "Randy's impact on our student-athletes and athletics community have been profound – instilling values of hard work, integrity, and teamwork. Randy leaves behind a legacy of excellence and mentorship that will continue to inspire for years to come. We thank Randy for his service not only to Salisbury University, but to the greater tennis community."
As a player from 1996-97, Halfpap helped lead the Sea Gulls to CAC championships and NCAA Tournament berths in both of his seasons on the team. He won the CAC singles title in both seasons and claimed the doubles crown in 1997. Originally hailing from Owings, Md., Halfpap earned his Bachelor's degree from SSU in 1997 and a Master's in Education from Azusa Pacific University in 1999.
A national search is underway to hire the next head men's and women's tennis coach at Salisbury University.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with affiliate membership in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (football, men's & women's swimming), Coastal Lacrosse Conference (men's lacrosse), State University of New York Athletic Conference (field hockey), and Colonial Women's Golf Conference (women's golf). With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the nation's most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have won a combined 23 team national championships, 24 individual national championships, and 205 conference championships, and have produced 53 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
