Scott Barnes Praised by Former Colleagues -- Portland Tribune (Dec. 29, 2016)
"Happy to Be Home" -- Eugene Register-Guard (Dec. 29, 2016)
"A Destination Job" -- The Oregonian (Dec. 29, 2016)
"Personality Guy Takes OSU helm" -- Portland Tribune (Dec. 29, 2016)
Scott Barnes was named Vice President and Director of Athletics Dec. 22, 2016 by then Oregon State University President Dr. Ed Ray.
Barnes, now in his ninth year at Oregon State, has been a key leader in the recharged Pac-12 Conference, which has included the addition of seven new programs that will transition to the league in time for the 2026-27 athletics year.
Facilities have been at the forefront of his leadership at OSU. He has spearheaded facility projects that include the $161-million Reser Stadium renovation, the expansion of the Whyte Track and Field Center, the nearly 10,000-square foot Oregon State Baseball Development Center, and the $3.5 million refresh of the Sports Performance Center. Oregon State, during his tenure, has also completed phase II of the Valley Football Center, a remodel of the men’s and women’s basketball locker rooms, the construction of Casey Corner at Goss Stadium at Coleman Field, and the remodel of Paul Lorenz Field (soccer), among other projects.
Those projects include a 20,000-square foot practice gymnastics facility, the largest in the Pac-12. The Whyte Track and Field expansion and the gymnastics facility are a part of over $23-million of completed improvements made to women’s facilities stemming from the Oregon State Athletics Strategic Plan Barnes initiated in 2018.
In Barnes’ tenure, OSU Athletics has made significant strides academically and athletically. Beaver student-athletes are among the leaders in the Pac-12 Conference for academic accomplishments, the Valley Football Center officially re-opened and the popular Fan Experience Committee was created. In addition, he has increased the emphasis on fundraising and developing a sustainable business model that will ensure Beaver Athletics continues to progress and thrive, and debuted the BUILD THE DAM Strategic Plan to guide the program forward for future years.
OSU was just one of two programs nationally, from 2018 to 2024, to have its football team win 10 games, both its women’s and men’s basketball teams advance to the Elite 8, and see both its baseball and softball teams advance to their respective College World Series.
Oregon State, meanwhile, was the only program nationally to have first-round selections in the NFL, MLB and MLS Drafts in 2024.
Barnes has made numerous strategic hires with the Beavers’ intercollegiate programs, including head football coach Trent Bray, head men’s soccer coach Jarred Brookins, head women’s rowing coach Michael Eichler, head track and field/cross country coach Louie Quintana, head baseball coach Mitch Canham, head women’s soccer coach Caroline Kelly, volleyball head coach Lindsey Behonick and head wrestling coach Chris Pendleton.
“We are building for stability and sustainability in all of our programs, and to create a vision that excites and inspires all of Beaver Nation,” Barnes said.
As part of the overall university administration, Barnes serves on several key committees and represents OSU at the Pac-12 Conference and NCAA levels. The two-time Far West Region Athletic Director the Year recently spent five years on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee (Chair for 2014-15). As of July 1, 2025, he has served on the following Pac-12 and NCAA committees: the Executive Committee (2019-20 Chair), the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee, the Men’s Basketball Committee, Football Oversight Committee, FBS AD Association Board, the Administrative Subcommittee, Bowls Committee, Men’s Basketball Tournament Committee, Men’s Basketball Liaison, Television Committee, the House vs. NCAA Implementation Committee and Enforcement Sub-Comnmittee and Rose Bowl Management Committee. In addition, he served as a faculty member on the Lead 1 Athletic Directors Association and in January 2018 he was one of four Director of Athletics in the country to visit Asia on a Nike sponsored trip.
Barnes has spent over three decades in athletics administration, including more than 20 years as an athletics director. He arrived back to his native Pacific Northwest from the University of Pittsburgh, where he served as the Panthers’ Director of Athletics for nearly two years. Pittsburgh achieved high success academically and athletically that included bowl trips, conference titles and record academic achievements.
Prior to Pitt, Barnes headed the Utah State University athletics program from 2008-15 as Director of Athletics and was promoted to Vice President in 2012. While at Utah State, the Aggies experienced unprecedented success that included multiple bowl trips in football, 20 league titles and a successful transition to the Mountain West Conference.
Barnes has also served as the Director of Athletics at Eastern Washington University and Humboldt State University. In addition, he has held various athletics roles at the University of The Pacific, the University of San Diego, Iowa State University and the University of Washington. He also has experience in corporate business and professional basketball.
The Spokane native graduated from Fresno State with a bachelor’s degree in 1986 and a master’s degree in athletics administration and physical education in 1993. A basketball letterman under coach Boyd Grant, he helped the Bulldogs advance to two NCAA Tournaments and two NITs. Barnes was a second-team all-conference player as a senior before playing professionally in Germany.
He and his wife, Jody, have two children: Daughter, Milanna, and son, Isaac.
Barnes’ accomplishments as the Vice President and Director of Athletics at Oregon State:
• Led efforts to rebuild the Pac-12 Conference.
• Led searches that yielded head coaches Trent Bray (football), Mitch Canham (baseball), Michael Eichler (women’s rowing), Louie Quintana (track and field/cross country), Jarred Brookins (men’s soccer), Caroline Kelly (women’s soccer), Lindsey Behonick (volleyball) and Chris Pendleton (wrestling).
• Spearheaded the Completing Reser Stadium campaign, a project that has transformed the program’s football stadium into a national best-in-class facility that began with the 2023 season.
• The baseball team won the 2018 College World Series title.
• OSU’s student-athlete population continues to set school records for cumulative grade point averages (GPAs).
• Developed Strategic and Facilities Master Plans.
• Oversaw final fundraising in the $42 million Valley Football Center project.
• Spearheaded remodel and expansion of Goss Stadium at Coleman Field (2018-19), the Sports Performance Center (weight room), the Valley Football Center, the OSU Softball Complex (now Kelly Field), Paul Lorenz Field, the Baseball Development Center, the Whyte Track and Field Center and the 20,000-square foot gymnastics practice facility.
• Led revamp of Our Beaver Nation; the fundraising arm for Athletics within the OSU Foundation.
• Spearheaded OSU’s first Fan Experience Committee to improve all aspects of the game-day experience at Gill Coliseum, Reser Stadium, Goss Stadium at Coleman Field, the Whyte Track and Field Center and the OSU Softball Complex.
• Developed a business model to ensure OSU Athletics’ continues to provide student-athletes with the best experiences possible through personnel, facilities, and academic support.
|
| Scott Barnes |
| Hometown |
Spokane, Wash. |
| College |
Fresno State, 1986 |
| Family |
wife, Jody
daughter, Milanna, son, Isaac |
| Honors |
|
• FBS West Region A.D. of the Year (2013)
• FCS West Region A.D. of the Year (2004)
|
| Professional History |
| December 22,2016-present |
Vice President/Director of Athletics, Oregon State |
| 2015-16 |
Director of Athletics, Pittsburgh |
| 2012-15 |
Vice President/Director of Athletics, Utah State |
| 2008-12 |
Director of Athletics, Utah State |
| 2005-08 |
Senior Associate A.D., Washington |
| 1999-2005 |
Director of Athletics, Eastern Washington |
| 1997-99 |
Director of Athletics, Humboldt State |
| 1995-97 |
Associate A.D./Development, Iowa State |
| 1994-95 |
Director of Athletic Development, Iowa State |
| 1991-94 |
Associate A.D./External Affairs, Univ. of the Pacific |
| 1990-94 |
Executive Director of UoP Athletic Foundation |
| 1989-90 |
Director of Athletic Development, San Diego |
| 1988-89 |
GM, Fresno Flames |
| 1986-88 |
Renberg-Hamill, Inc., marketing |
| 1985-86 |
Professional Basketball, ASC Gottingen |
|
