Troy University Women's Golf

Barnes, the 2014 & 2015 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year, was named the Troy womens golf head coach in August 2013 after four seasons as an assistant with both the mens and womens programs.   The Trojans took out a full on assault of the school record book during his second season as his team completely rewrote the annals of Troy history. Five of the top 10 rounds in Troy history came during the 2014-15 season, while six of the top 10 36-hole scores and five of the top 54-hole scores came during Barnes second season. Fátima Fernández Cano set the single-season records for lowest round (65), lowest 36-hole score (141), lowest 54-hole score (210) and stroke average (73.42). Canos single-season average broke the school record by 1.54 strokes, while her career mark is 2.13 strokes lower than anyone else in Troy history. In fact, six members of the 2014-15 squad rank in the top 10 for career stroke average, while Taylor McGraw and Langley Vannoy are tied for fifth on the single-season average list. The Trojans won three tournaments during Barnes second season as the head coach, including the final two of the year heading into the NCAA South Bend Regional. Troy set school records for lowest round, lowest 36-hole score and lowest 54-hole score. Remarkably, the Trojans fired the top three 54-hole scores in school history, while shooting the top two 36-hole scores (five in the top 10) and four of the top 10 rounds. Barnes led the Trojans to a No. 82 national ranking and a 12-shot victory over Texas State in the Sun Belt Championship (36 holes). Cano, McGraw and Vannoy were all named to the All-Sun Belt Team, marking the first time in school history three Trojans made the team. The Trojans advanced to play in the NCAA South Bend Regional. In his first season, Barnes led Troy to the Sun Belt Conference Championship and a berth in the NCAA East Regional. The conference title was Troys first since moving to Division I in 1993. Barnes also helped tutor then-freshman Cano to the Sun Belt Individual Championship, Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year honors and a spot on the All-Sun Belt First Team.   During his first season, Troy posted four of the top five rounds in school history, including the best round by a Troy team with a 287 in the final round of the Fred Marx Invitational during the fall. Additionally, Canos 75.56 stroke average then ranked as the second-best mark in Troy history and Becca Horners 76.96 was the sixth best.   Barnes coaching really showed in the spring of 2014 as the Trojans showed dramatic improvement from the fall season. Brooke Spinks finished third at the Sun Belt Championship and saw her overall stroke average drop by 1.33 strokes from the fall to the spring.   The Trojans defeated No. 50 Georgia 3-and-1 in match play on the Bulldogs home course in the Liz Murphey Classic during his initial campaign.   Barnes joined the Troy staff in January 2010 following a standout playing career at Middle Tennessee and a stint on the National Golf Association Hooters Tour.   Entering his first season, the womens team was coming off its best finish at the Sun Belt Conference Championships after placing fourth at the event in April 2013.    The Troy women claimed three team titles during the 2011-12 season and one during the 2012-13 campaign under the guidance of then head coach Matt Terry and Barnes.    Barnes began his collegiate playing career at Central Alabama Community College where he earned Academic All-America honors before transferring to Middle Tennessee for his final two seasons.   Barnes most notable finish during his college career was his final tournament, the Middle Tennessee Intercollegiate, where he placed second. Upon graduation, Barnes was granted the honor of being the under-25 representative for the Alabama State Team in the Southeastern Challenge Cup Matches in 2008. Later pursuing his dreams of playing professionally, he was a member of the National Golf Association (NGA) Hooters Tour in 2009.    Hailing from Elba, Ala., Barnes received a marketing degree from Middle Tennessee in 2008. Barnes is currently pursuing his masters degree in sport and fitness management at Troy University and was valedictorian of his graduating class at Elba High School.