Player Bio
Pro Year Start: 2024 (Pickleball)
Background:
Lisa Alipaz is a highly accomplished athlete and coach, currently excelling as a senior pro pickleball player. For 18 years, she served as the head women's tennis coach at Saint Mary's College, where her leadership earned her five WCC Coach of the Year awards.1 After stepping back during the pandemic due to a serious health condition, Lisa returned to the court in 2021 and discovered her newest passion: pickleball.
Pickleball Journey:
Since playing her first APP event in the summer of 2024, Lisa has made an immediate impact on the professional pickleball scene, medaling in every tournament she's entered. A standout moment was her favorite debut win alongside Lee Whitwell and Marcello Jardim, showcasing her natural talent and competitive spirit in the sport.
On-Court Presence:
Lisa brings a wealth of coaching experience and a deep understanding of competitive sports to her pickleball game. Her ability to consistently medal since her professional debut highlights her dedication, strategic play, and seamless transition into the sport. She embodies resilience, having overcome health challenges to return to high-level competition.
Off-Court Interests:
When she's not competing or coaching, Lisa embraces a vibrant life filled with travel, family game nights, and a quest for the perfect carnitas street taco. She's a proud mom to Ali, who plays tennis at Brown University, and Will, a rising high school junior with college water polo aspirations. Lisa is married to Billy Maguy, a fellow sports fanatic, private equity expert, and former NCAA Division I Water Polo Champion at Stanford University, making theirs a truly athletic household. While her kids playfully tease her for her cooking and plant-killing abilities, Lisa is celebrated for her epic vacation planning, her love for Space Mountain, family movie nights, and all things Star Wars. She lives by the inspiring mottos: "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain" and "Smile, it just feels better."
On & Off-Court Quick Hits
- Favorite Colors: All shades of blue.
- Favorite Foods: Mexican food, especially tacos.
- Favorite Car: Anything electric; dislikes going to the gas station.
- Downtime Activity: Hanging out with family.
- Preferred Paddle: The hybrid shape, but is always open to trying new paddles.
- Favorite Drills: The "Panic room" drill or anything involving dink wars.
- Go-To Strategy: Getting into a dink battle to outlast opponents and draw the error.
- Good Luck Ritual: A list of lucky charms including earrings, a necklace, and black pants. Their lucky hat changes monthly, and they always eat oatmeal on the morning of a match.
