About Scott Barnes
Born 1962. Scott Barnes is an American athletic director and basketball player.
Scott Barnes (born June 23, 1962) is the vice president and athletic director at Oregon State University. He was previously the athletic director at Utah State University and the University of Pittsburgh.
Career During his tenure at Utah State University, Barnes greatly increased funding for all Aggie sports, and oversaw the hiring of football coach Gary Andersen and the completion of the Jim & Carol Laub Athletics-Academics Complex on campus. He also worked to improve the public image and visibility of Aggie sports, which included inking deals with statewide and national TV stations, as well as a sponsorship deal with the Maverik chain of service stations, resulting in the renaming of the university's football stadium in April 2015.
On May 8, 2013, Barnes was named chairman of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament's selection committee.
His work was recognized with the awarding of the 2009 National Champion in the Excellence in Management Cup to USU, an award which is given each year to the university athletics department that wins the most championships with the lowest expenses. The Aggies brought in WAC championships in five sports during the 2008β09 academic year, tied for the most in school history. Barnes was also recently selected as a faculty member in the Division I Athletics Director Association Institute.
As the athletics director, Barnes's work was integral in improving the overall image of Utah State University itself, which image had taken a hit in recent years due to the futility of the football team. The New York Times quoted him as saying "Athletics are the front porch of the university. It's not the most important room in the house, but it is the most visible."
On December 22, 2016, Barnes was reunited with Gary Andersen and named the Athletic Director and Vice President at Oregon State University.
Before going to OSU, Barnes served as athletics director at Utah State University and Eastern Washington University. He has also held positions at the University of Washington and the University of San Diego. He attended Fresno State University, where he played basketball.
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Important facts
People in Scott Barnes's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Scott Barnes's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Scott Barnes?
American college athletics administrator
When was Scott Barnes born?
Scott Barnes was born on 23 June 1962 in Spokane.
What is Scott Barnes's occupation?
Scott Barnes is an athletic director and basketball player.
What nationality is Scott Barnes?
Scott Barnes is American.
Sources & further reading
Β· DBpedia: Scott Barnes (athletic director)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Scott Barnes. https://biography.guide/scott-barnes-athletic-director/
MLA: "Scott Barnes." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/scott-barnes-athletic-director/.
Chicago: "Scott Barnes." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/scott-barnes-athletic-director/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-21 Β· Spot an error? Report a correction.
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