Barnes named assistant women's basketball coach

June 8, 2010

MADISON, Wis. – John Barnes, the head coach at Michigan Tech University for seven years, has been named an assistant coach with the Wisconsin women’s basketball program, Coach Lisa Stone announced Tueday. His starting date is July 1.

“We are pleased to have John join our Badger family,” said Stone. “He’s been a very successful head coach and that’s experience you can’t teach. John brings a passion for defense and a great offensive mind as well. He has great ideas and he’s very familiar with the motion offense.

“John brings seven years of successful head coaching experience and 15 years of overall coaching experience on both the men’s and women’s side. He has an unbelievable work ethic and passion for the game. He’s also from upper Michigan so he has great Midwestern ties for recruiting.”

Barnes guided Michigan Tech to winning records in all seven seasons, compiling an overall record of 156-55 (.739). The Huskies advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament five times during his tenure, including Elite Eight appearances in 2009 and 2010.

“I’ve been at Michigan Tech for about 18 years, including playing, and I’m very thankful for everything they’ve done for me but when the opportunity at the University of Wisconsin came up, it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” said Barnes. “Lisa’s done an outstanding job and would be a great person to work for. This kind of opportunity is once in a lifetime and I can’t tell you how excited I am to get down there and go to work.

“When I came down and met Coach Alvarez and the rest of Lisa’s staff it just cemented my excitement about the job. When she called and offered it, it was just a dream come true.”

Tech won three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular-season championships and two tournament titles under Barnes. The Huskies were 104-30 (.750) in GLIAC games during his tenure.

Barnes earned GLIAC Coach of the Year accolades three times in his career (2005-06, 2008-09 and 2009-10) and he was also named the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year in 2009-10.

Prior to taking the controls of the women’s program, Barnes played an integral role in building the Huskies’ men’s program into one of national prominence. During his six-year tenure as assistant coach, the Tech men compiled a 133-48 record and made four appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Huskies also won four GLIAC titles and two GLIAC Tournament championships.

The Escanaba, Mich., native was a member of Michigan Tech’s men’s basketball team from 1991-95. He competed in 102 games for the Huskies and earned a spot on the GLIAC All-Defensive Team during the 1994-95 season.

Barnes graduated from Michigan Tech in May 1995 with a bachelor’s degree in scientific and technical communication. He went on to serve as junior varsity girls’ basketball coach at Baraga (Mich.) High School during the fall of 1995. That same year, Barnes began as junior varsity boys’ basketball coach at Chassell (Mich.) High School but left early to accept the assistant men’s basketball coaching position at Lake Superior State, where he helped guide the Lakers to the GLIAC title during the 1995-96 campaign.

In 1996-97, Barnes played for the Kolding Basketball Club in Denmark, where he helped the team to an 18-1 record. He also served as the head coach for St. Nicolai, a men’s travel team in Denmark.

The John Barnes File

2003-2010 • Head Women’s Coach, Michigan Tech

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156-55 record (.739)
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3 GLIAC North Division Championships (2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10)

2 GLIAC Tournament Championship (2007-08, 2009-10)

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5 NCAA Tournament berths
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2 NCAA Elite Eight berths
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2005-06, 2008-09 and 2009-10 GLIAC Coach of the Year

2009-10 WBCA Regional Coach of the Year

1997-2003 • Assistant Men’s Coach, Michigan Tech

133-48 record
4 GLIAC titles

1996-1997 • Player, Kolding, Denmark

18-1 record

1996-1997 • Head Coach, St. Nicolai, Denmark

1995-1996 • Assistant Men’s Coach, Lake Superior State

20-8 record
GLIAC champs

1995 • Junior Varsity Girls Coach, Baraga (Mich.) H.S.

1991-1995 • Player, Michigan Tech

102 GP, 577 pts
1995 GLIAC All-Defensive Team

Barnes’ Year-by-Year Results

Year     School          Record     Pct.   GLIAC      Pct.    Finish       GLIAC Tourn.     NCAA Tourn.
2003-04  Michigan Tech   16-11     .593     11-7      .611    4th-North    Quarters (0-1)
 2004-05  Michigan Tech   21-8      .724     15-3      .833    3rd-North    Quarters (0-1)   First Round (0-1)
2005-06  Michigan Tech   19-9      .679     14-4      .778    2nd-North    Quarters (0-1)   First Round (0-1)
2006-07  Michigan Tech   19-9      .679     12-6      .667    4th-North    Semis (1-1)   
 2007-08  Michigan Tech   23-8      .742     13-5      .722    1st-North    1st (3-0)        First Round (0-1)
2008-09  Michigan Tech   27-7      .794     19-3      .864    1st-North    2nd (2-1)        Elite Eight (3-1)
2009-10  Michigan Tech   31-3      .912     20-2      .909    1st-North    1st (3-0)        Elite Eight (3-1)
7 years                  156-55    .739    104-30     .776