RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University athletics department announced the hiring of Melissa Barnes as its new women’s soccer head coach on Wednesday.

Barnes arrives in Richmond with a track record of winning championships. She was an assistant coach at UNC Wilmington from 2008-12 and an assistant coach at her alma mater, Furman University, from 2005-07. The Prospect, Ky. native helped lead both programs to the NCAA Tournament.

“Melissa personifies the qualities we want in the leader of our women’s soccer program,” Acting Director of Athletics Simon Gray said. “She will recruit and develop elite student-athletes who are positive representatives of our campus and our community.  Academic success culminating in graduation is a priority for Melissa and our athletics department. She also has a proven record of winning championships.  Melissa is a person of integrity focused on providing an inspirational student-athlete experience.”

Barnes was most recently an integral factor in building the UNCW women’s soccer program into a powerhouse in the Colonial Athletic Association. Working under head coach Paul Cairney, the 2008 CAA Coach of the Year, Barnes guided the Seahawks to unprecedented success during her five years in Wilmington. In 2009, UNCW went 13-8-1 and reached as high as No. 3 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Mid-Atlantic Region rankings before winning the CAA Tournament and earning the program’s first-ever berth in the NCAA Tournament. In 2012, the Seahawks compiled a record of 12-7-3 and fell just short of a second NCAA appearance, losing to Hofstra, 2-1, in double overtime in the CAA title game.

Barnes was a part of 49 wins during her five years at UNCW, and she coached 28 All-CAA performers, eight CAA All-Tournament selections and one CAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player; however, Barnes also demanded excellence from her players away from the field. The Seahawks won an NSCAA College Team Academic Award all five years of her tenure and posted a team GPA of 3.40 or higher from 2010-12.

“I would like to thank President Doug Whitlock, Simon Gray, Mark Sandy and Lindsey McKaskle for the opportunity to lead the Eastern Kentucky University women’s soccer program,” Barnes said. “I’m very excited to join the Colonel family. I was impressed with the soccer facilities and the support for women’s soccer at EKU. I look forward to the successes and the challenges that lie ahead for our program, and I can’t wait to get started. I would also like to thank UNCW athletics, the UNCW women’s soccer team and head coach Paul Cairney for preparing me for this opportunity. Paul has been and will continue to be a great mentor and friend.”

Before her successful stint at UNCW, Barnes was a key factor in continuing the winning tradition at her alma mater, Furman. As an assistant coach / goalkeepers coach at Furman from 2005-07, Barnes helped guide the Paladins to a 20-6-4 Southern Conference record and a spot in the 2007 NCAA Tournament. She also mentored 17 All-SoCon performers during that two-year period.

"I’m very excited to join the Colonel family. I was impressed with the soccer facilities and the support for women’s soccer at EKU. I look forward to the successes and the challenges that lie ahead for our program, and I can’t wait to get started." - Melissa Barnes

The South Dakota women’s soccer team was also a beneficiary of Barnes’ winning touch. Barnes was an assistant coach / goalkeepers coach at South Dakota in 2004 and, during that one season, the Coyotes posted a program-best record of 15-6 and made their first-ever appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament.

Barnes was a proven winner before entering the coaching ranks, though. She was a four-year starter at goalkeeper for Furman from 1998-2001, earning All-SoCon honors three of those seasons and posting the 10th-best Goals Against Average (0.67) in the country as a sophomore in 1999. During her four years in the net at Furman, the Paladins compiled a record of 66-21-1, won three SoCon titles and made two NCAA Tournament appearances.

As a prepster, Barnes led South Oldham High School to Kentucky state titles in 1995 and 1996 and she holds the KHSAA career shutouts record with 56.

Barnes received a bachelor’s degree from Furman in 2002 and earned a master’s degree from East Carolina University in 2010.

Rising seniors Brittany Nomady and Nikki Donnelly are looking forward to the opportunity to play under Barnes.

“As a team we are excited and motivated to play for a new coach who is equally driven to reach our ultimate goal of playing in the NCAA tournament,” Nomady said.

“I'm extremely excited to have Melissa be a part of our program and our family,” Donnelly added. “When I met her it was obvious that she had a great personality,
but still expected a lot out of us.  Our next step is to win an OVC championship and she's very aware of that and ready to help us get to that point.”

“I'm extremely excited to have Melissa be a part of our program and our family. Our next step is to win an OVC championship and she's very aware of that and ready to help us get to that point." - Nikki Donnelly

Barnes is inheriting an EKU program that has meticulously risen to the top tier of the Ohio Valley Conference since its inception in 2005. The Colonels went 10-7-3 in 2012, were undefeated at home (8-0-1) and earned their fifth consecutive berth in the OVC Tournament, the longest active postseason streak in the league. 

What Others Are Saying About Melissa Barnes …

“Melissa has been a huge part of our success at UNCW. She was an integral part of our first ever CAA Championship and NCAA tourney appearance. In addition, she helped recruit excellent student-athletes at UNCW throughout her five years with our team. Recruiting and coaching are the two pillars to success in college sports. Melissa Barnes is good at both of them. She has a deep understanding of the type of players that her team will need and she has the natural talent to coach and motivate student-athletes. I know that the EKU team will develop as soccer players and as people under her guidance. Moreover, they will have a positive and rewarding experience in the process. EKU has picked a winner in Melissa Barnes.” – Paul Cairney, head women’s soccer coach at UNCW

“What a fantastic hire for EKU and a wonderful opportunity for Melissa.  As a player, Melissa was a “coach on the field,” leading by example and in words.  Her time as an assistant under Andrew Burr at Furman and Paul Cairney at UNCW has been well spent in preparation for this moment.  She has the work ethic, man management skills, and soccer pedigree to bring EKU soccer success on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.” – Brian Lee, head women’s soccer coach at Louisiana State University

“Melissa's energy, leadership skills and soccer knowledge will make her the perfect fit to be the new head coach at EKU.” – Andrew Burr, head women’s soccer coach at Furman University

“I am thrilled to hear that EKU has hired Melissa as the new head coach. She has a tremendous work ethic, an excellent understanding of the game and a true passion for the world’s sport. I am confident that Melissa will do an outstanding job leading this program to much success in the future. She will also be an amazing role model and mentor for the EKU players. I am sure she will develop the girls into better soccer players, better students and, most of all, better people. She will be greatly missed in the Seahawk community, but on behalf of all of the UNCW alums and current UNCW players, I wish Melissa all the best of luck with her new journey. Go Colonels!” – Megan Novak, former UNCW midfielder (2008-11) and current assistant women’s soccer coach at American University