On Friday, UAB women’s basketball head coach Randy Norton announced that Blazer alum Miyah Barnes has joined the team as an assistant coach and director of player development. Barnes, who played for UAB from 2016 to 2020, will bring valuable experience to the role.
Norton expressed enthusiasm about Barnes’s return, highlighting her overseas playing experience and expertise in running basketball training sessions as significant assets. He praised Barnes’s previous contributions as a four-year starting point guard for the Sun Devils, noting her key role in the team’s success, including 88 wins, three postseason appearances, and the first-ever Conference USA Women’s Basketball Championship. Barnes’s deep understanding of the program’s values and goals is seen as a strong benefit.
Barnes began her college career at UAB in the 2016-17 season, where she played all 30 games and made 27 starts. She was named Conference USA Freshman of the Week twice and recorded 30 three-pointers, ranking 11th among UAB freshmen. Barnes also contributed to setting a program record for 3-point field goal percentage (37.3%) and ranks second in career 3-point field goals made (218).
In her sophomore year, Barnes started all 34 games, helping the team achieve a record 27 wins and secure the C-USA Regular Season Championship. She was pivotal in the team’s record-breaking performance in assists and 3-point field goals, earning Second Team All-Conference USA honors.
As a junior, Barnes appeared in 33 games, leading the team in assists and scoring. She played a crucial role in setting records for 3-pointers and field goal percentages, and was named Second Team All-Conference.
During her senior year, Barnes was named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Watchlist and reached 1,000 career points. She also became one of only three Blazers with 1,000 points and 500 assists, setting multiple career highs and finishing as the second all-time assists leader at UAB.
Academically, Barnes was recognized on the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll three times. After college, she played professionally in Cyprus and Germany, and recently served as an assistant coach at St. Georges Independent School in Memphis. Barnes also runs Barnes Development, focusing on player skill and professional growth, and held a youth basketball camp in October 2023.
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