Concordia University, St. Paul Athletics

A member of the inaugural Concordia Athletics Hall of Fame Class (1992), Barnes served as CSP’s athletic director from 1947 to 1982 and as head men’s basketball coach from 1948 to 1972. His tenure as athletic director saw Concordia win a total of 56 conference championships, including 11 baseball titles. His basketball teams won eight conference titles in a 25-year period.

Barnes presided over Concordia’s transition from a junior college to a four-year collegiate athletic program while serving as a head coach at the same time. During that same era, he also taught physical education. Barnes also coached football, golf, tennis, track and field and filled in as Concordia’s baseball coach in 1970, guiding CSP to a 14-2 record and an Upper Midwest Athletics Conference championship.

His ground-breaking leadership and service to Concordia provided the structure and organization necessary for CSP’s transition to NCAA Division II membership. Concordia’s baseball field was named for Barnes in 1997.

Barnes attended Bloomington High School and played football for the University of Minnesota.