Keith Barnett, a member of the U.S National Volleyball Team from 2001-02 and 2005-06, is the new women’s volleyball coach at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
His appointment was announced Monday by Stephen Kirkham, director, Intercollegiate Athletics.
A second-team all-American in 2001 at Pepperdine University, Barnett went on to earn a gold medal to the World University Games in Beijing, China later that year. He later earned a bachelor’s degree in geography from UCCS.
That playing career not only encompassed his time at Pepperdine and with the U.S. National Team. He also played professionally in Halen, Belgium, for three seasons as well as one each in Spain and Romania.
For the past two seasons, Barnett has been the volleyball coach at Rampart High School in Colorado Springs. He led the Rams to a third-place finish in the Colorado Class 5A State Tournament in 2008 after a Sweet 16 season in 2007.
Barnett, 30, replaces Jessica Wood, who had previously been promoted to an assistant athletic director position. UCCS went 78-68 during Wood’s five years as coach, earning its first ever berth in the NCAA tournament in 2007. Wood’s teams qualified for the RMAC playoffs four times.
“I want to continue to build this program and get a shot at the RMAC title,” said Barnett. “I think that’s everyone’s goal.”