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Scott Barnes served as Oregon State Director of Athletics and University Vice President from 2016 until 2026 when he became Senior Advisor for Athletics.
Barnes was been a key leader in the recharged Pac-12 Conference, which included the addition of seven new programs that transitioned to the league in time for the 2026-27 athletics year.
Facilities were 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 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 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.
As part of the overall university administration, Barnes served 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 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.
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